Don't Forget American Samoa, et. al.!

With the democratic delegate race as close as it is, lesser followed primaries and caucuses may ending figuring much larger into the picture than they normally do this time around.

American Samoa already voted yesterday, giving Clinton a 2 to 1 delegate advantage.  But do we know how important that 1 net delegate may end up being?

Democrats Abroad started their odd primary and caucuses yesterday as well.  It hands out 7 pledged delegates.  This could break 4-3 or 5-2.  Who will come away with the net delegate or delegates there?

Next up is the Virgin Islands this Saturday, also a 3 pledged delegate race.  Assuming that will be a 2-1 break as well, who will come away with the net?

Right on the Virgin Island's heels is Guam on February 16th with 6 pledged delegates.  Will this split 3-3 or will someone come away with a net 2 delegate win from there?

If the race still isn't won by June 7th, then Puerto Rico may play a huge role with it's 55 pledged delegates.  If the race is very close, and someone is able to pull a big win here, could it be enough to make the difference?

Overall, there five lesser known and almost never followed primaries give 74 pledged delegates to the convention.  If this ends up being as close as it looks like it might be, those 74 delegates may end up making the difference.

•  Don't diss the little primaries!

  I'm rather surprised that MSNBC didn't at least mention the American Samoa results last night, especially considering that they were predicting as close as a net +4 delegate win for Obama last night.

  by FleetAdmiralJ on Wed Feb 06, 2008 at 07:09:24 AM PDT

  •  Thank you.

    We in Louisiana vote Saturday.  Something tells me Matthews and Olbermann won't be up late talking about us.

    by Crashing Vor on Wed Feb 06, 2008 at 07:19:01 AM PDT

•  Americans Abroad should sku Obama

  I'd imagine he could win a 70/30 victory with Americans Abroad, giving him a 8-3 delegate victory there too

  by kubla000 on Wed Feb 06, 2008 at 07:12:01 AM PDT

  •  well

    they have 11 total delegates, but only 7 pledged.  So a 70/30 win would be a 5-2 spread on delegates I believe.

    Green Papers doesn't list any of the 4 super delegates as having endorsed either candidate yet.

    by FleetAdmiralJ on Wed Feb 06, 2008 at 07:13:57 AM PDT

    •  This is as good a place as any

      to thank you for your fantastic results diary last night!! It was far and away the clearest presentation of any I could find on the Internet. Well done!

      by cadejo4 on Wed Feb 06, 2008 at 07:33:47 AM PDT

      •  Thanks a lot

        gotta thank dmsilev, NeuvoLiberal, and CA Pol Junkie for helping me update the spreadsheet last night too.

        by FleetAdmiralJ on Wed Feb 06, 2008 at 07:36:46 AM PDT

  •  If he doesn't win Dems Abroad

    I'll be shocked. It may not be as much as 70/30, but it should be a convincing margin. The number of actual participants will be interesting as well, and could provide some idea about how ex-pats may influence the November election. With 6 million Americans abroad, the potential impact is huge.

    by cadejo4 on Wed Feb 06, 2008 at 07:31:13 AM PDT

•  They got a state quarter, isn't that enough?

  They have NO electoral votes in the fall. Let's diss them.

  by YoursTruly on Wed Feb 06, 2008 at 07:21:12 AM PDT

  •  They did? n/t

    by iowabosox on Wed Feb 06, 2008 at 07:29:09 AM PDT

    •  yeah,

      it's coming out next year. After a nine years of getting bogged down in the senate, it passed as an earmark.

      by YoursTruly on Wed Feb 06, 2008 at 09:05:17 AM PDT