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Maine superdelegate votes still up in air

By Jonathan Kaplan February 11, 2008 11:23 AM


Sen. Barack Obama's convincing win on Sunday in Maine's Democratic caucuses did little to sort out how most of Maine's 10 super delegates will vote if neither Obama nor Sen. Hillary Clinton wins the nomination outright.

While Obama won 15 of the 24 pledged delegates that Maine's Democratic Party will send to the national convention in December, Maine's super delegates – those party officials and elected leaders – can endorse whomever they want whenever they want.

Gov. John Baldacci and former Gov. Ken Curtis have endorsed Clinton, but the eight other super delegates have not thrown their support to Obama or Clinton.

U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud and Marianne Stevens, the vice chair of the state party, endorsed former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., before he dropped out of the race. They have not decided whom to support.

U.S. Rep. Tom Allen was a Rhodes Scholar in England with former President Bill Clinton, but he has not endorsed either candidate.

Former Sen. George Mitchell, D-Maine, has not endorsed a candidate even though he served in the Clinton administration and his New York-based law firm, DLA Piper, is one of Clinton's top contributors.

Democratic Party Chairman John Knutson has said he would support the
winner of the caucuses. He can appoint a tenth super delegate at the
party's state convention in May.

Sam Spencer of Portland and Rita Moran of Winthrop, who represent Maine in the Democratic National Committee, said last week that they would back the winner of the caucuses.