By BOB LEWIS AP Political Writer | May 7, 2008 RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Democratic superdelegate Jennifer McClellan on Wednesday became one of four party activists nationally to commit her support to Barack Obama. McClellan, a Democratic National Committee member and two-term member of the Virginia House of Delegates member, had earlier supported Hillary Rodham Clinton.
In a telephone news conference with Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, one of Obama’s earliest supporters, McClellan said Tuesday’s primaries persuaded her to commit to Obama.
“I think the time has come to support Senator Obama as the likely nominee. Given what happened last night, it’s very unlikely we will have a different result,” McClellan said.
Obama trounced Clinton in North Carolina while Clinton barely won Indiana’s primary, giving Obama a substantial lead in the popular vote and a lead in pledge delegates allocated according to primary and caucus victory margins. Superdelegates are party insiders and elected officials who are free to support whomever they choose.
“I think it was the math,” McClellan said. “I think Senator Clinton would need to win probably 70 percent of the remaining primaries and 70 percent of the remaining superdelegates. Based on what’s happened so far, I don’t see that happening. That was the biggest factor in my decision today.”
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