Political insiders to have their say

Published 10:49 pm Friday, February 8, 2008

More than 100,000 voters across the state are expected today to help choose their favorite presidential candidates, but there’s also an elite group of political insiders in the mix.

So-called superdelegates for the Democrats and Republican aren’t bound to the results from today’s caucus. They are free to vote for whom they like when it comes time to select the party’s choice for president at national conventions this summer.

The 17 superdelegates for the Democrats include Gov. Chris Gregoire, congressional and party leaders and those selected by established Democratic party rules. The Republicans only have three superdelegates based on their rules.

A divide has emerged between Democratic superdelegates from Washington. Nine of 17 superdelegates have declared support for one of the two party front-runners: Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, or Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

So far, six have endorsed Clinton, three have pledged for Obama and eight are were uncommitted as of Friday.

Gregoire came out Friday for Obama. Another superdelegate, Washington’s U.S. senators, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, are backing Clinton.

Statewide, Democrats plan to elect 80 delegates based on caucus results and pledge them toward the presidential candidate selection.

Republicans have a different name for their three superdelegates, state GOP chairman Luke Esser said. They’re “automatic delegates” and traditionally remain uncommitted until after the caucus and primary season. Democrats operate differently, he said.

“The Democrats are bloated with these insider delegates,” Esser said. “So many of these politician delegates have built up alliances with one candidate or another, and it sounds like they put those political alliances to use early.”

That divide can create bad feelings with voters if the superdelegates vote against the tide of popular support, Esser said.

Presidential candidates are courting support, and Democratic leaders are choosing who to support, Snohomish County Democratic Party chairman Mark Hintz said.

“Everybody picks a side, don’t they?” Hintz said. “These are the Democratic leaders. These are the ones in the trenches. People tend to trust their decision making. We aren’t a party of control; we’re a party of the people and elect people to make decisions.”

The people elected today as delegates on behalf of one candidate or another aren’t bound to that candidate for a few months yet, Hintz said.

“Any delegate can change their vote down the line,” Hintz said. Legislative and congressional district meetings are planned for April and May.

The closer the race between Clinton and Obama, the more important the delegates become during the national convention in August.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., emerged as the apparent GOP choice this week.

“Narrowing the field focuses the mind,” Esser said. “Mrs. Huckabee is in town, Senator McCain is in town. They’re taking the caucuses very seriously and not taking the results for granted and voters shouldn’t either.”

Reporter Jeff Switzer: 425-339-3452 or jswitzer@heraldnet.com.