Obama picks up seven super delegates

Hillary Clinton,Barack Obama 

The Obama campaign announced the support of seven new superdelegates -- including a previous Clinton backer.

California Democratic National Committee member and superdelegate Ed Espinoza endorsed the senator from Illinois Friday, according to the Obama camp.

Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon also told The Oregonian newspaper that he will support Obama's bid. Oregon voters are in the middle of primary voting, which takes place through the mail.

Rep. Donald Payne, a New Jersey Democrat and an early Clinton supporter, told The (Newark) Star-Ledger that he was switching to Obama.

John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, also said he is backing Obama. He had been uncommitted. His union, which is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, said it represents more than 600,000 workers.

Espinoza, Payne, DeFazio and Gage are superdelegates -- party officials, elected representatives and activists who are free to vote the way they want or to change their minds after pledging to a candidate.

There are now more superdelegates than pledged delegates among those who remain undecided. A flood of endorsements from superdelegates for Obama could virtually end the Democratic race.

Neither candidate has the 2,025 delegates needed for the nomination. Obama has 1,856 total delegates, 169 delegates short of clinching the Democratic nod, and Clinton has 1,691.

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Source:

www.presstv.ir