Democratic Party superdelegates are likely to become a hot topic of discussion again after Tuesday's important presidential primary results are in.
Polls are showing both the Texas and Ohio primary races tightening. Most polls show Illinois Sen. Barack Obama with a narrow lead in Texas, and New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton with a shrinking lead in Ohio. Rhode Island and Vermont also have primaries Tuesday, but the national focus is on the two delegate-rich states.
Most likely, talk after Tuesday will be about whether Clinton will continue her campaign. It is unlikely she will win both states by significant margins. If she doesn't, there will be many calls for her to drop out of the race in the interest of party unity.
One of the major arguments the Clinton camp will have for continuing the race is the uncertainty over what to do with delegates from Michigan and Florida. The other will be superdelegates.
It remains possible that Clinton could lose the post-primaries count of committed delegates, but still win the Democratic Party nomination by receiving a solid majority of uncommitted delegates, most often referred to as "superdelegates."
Wisconsin Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, presents a perfect example of how that could happen.
Obama routed Clinton in the Feb. 19 Wisconsin primary. In Dane County, Obama won 67.5 percent of the vote, while Clinton claimed just 31.3 percent. In Green County, the margin was about 59 percent for Obama and 40 percent for Clinton.
Baldwin is a superdelegate, who has pledged her support for Clinton. Her commitment for Clinton did not waiver after the Feb. 19 election results, even though an overwhelming majority of her constituents voted for Obama.
The day after the primary, Baldwin's office issued a statement, which said, "Congresswoman Baldwin announced her endorsement of Senator Clinton many months ago. She supports Senator Clinton because she is the only candidate fully committed to health care for all Americans."
The rules, of course, allow Baldwin to support anyone she wishes. Superdelegates are not bound to any candidate, regardless of the vote outcomes in the state or in their home district.
But logic would dictate that the will of the people should be heard. And clearly, the will of the people in Baldwin's congressional district is that Obama be the Democratic Party nominee, not Clinton.
Baldwin, like other superdelegates, should resist giving their own voice more power than those of the average primary voter. Her vote at the Democratic Party in Denver should either be dictated by what the will of the people is nationally at the end of the primary campaign, or better yet by what the voters in her own district overwhelmingly decided.
Polls are showing both the Texas and Ohio primary races tightening. Most polls show Illinois Sen. Barack Obama with a narrow lead in Texas, and New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton with a shrinking lead in Ohio. Rhode Island and Vermont also have primaries Tuesday, but the national focus is on the two delegate-rich states.
Most likely, talk after Tuesday will be about whether Clinton will continue her campaign. It is unlikely she will win both states by significant margins. If she doesn't, there will be many calls for her to drop out of the race in the interest of party unity.
One of the major arguments the Clinton camp will have for continuing the race is the uncertainty over what to do with delegates from Michigan and Florida. The other will be superdelegates.
It remains possible that Clinton could lose the post-primaries count of committed delegates, but still win the Democratic Party nomination by receiving a solid majority of uncommitted delegates, most often referred to as "superdelegates."
Wisconsin Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, presents a perfect example of how that could happen.
Obama routed Clinton in the Feb. 19 Wisconsin primary. In Dane County, Obama won 67.5 percent of the vote, while Clinton claimed just 31.3 percent. In Green County, the margin was about 59 percent for Obama and 40 percent for Clinton.
Baldwin is a superdelegate, who has pledged her support for Clinton. Her commitment for Clinton did not waiver after the Feb. 19 election results, even though an overwhelming majority of her constituents voted for Obama.
The day after the primary, Baldwin's office issued a statement, which said, "Congresswoman Baldwin announced her endorsement of Senator Clinton many months ago. She supports Senator Clinton because she is the only candidate fully committed to health care for all Americans."
The rules, of course, allow Baldwin to support anyone she wishes. Superdelegates are not bound to any candidate, regardless of the vote outcomes in the state or in their home district.
But logic would dictate that the will of the people should be heard. And clearly, the will of the people in Baldwin's congressional district is that Obama be the Democratic Party nominee, not Clinton.
Baldwin, like other superdelegates, should resist giving their own voice more power than those of the average primary voter. Her vote at the Democratic Party in Denver should either be dictated by what the will of the people is nationally at the end of the primary campaign, or better yet by what the voters in her own district overwhelmingly decided.
