Who are the Superdelegates?
Superdelegates have never had to be called out to make the ultimate decision on who is the contender for the President of the United States. That is until now. The Democratic nominee is a toss up this year. Who will make the final choice?
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are a very select group also known as unpledged delegates. The 800 extra votes they represent are made up of governors, senators, house members and other party officials and members.
During the runoffs the delegates awarded to a candidate are fixed. Those won will remain with the nominee during their party's convention. Generally by the time the conventions roll around the nominee is already the clear winner.
The superdelegates are free to pledge their vote to whichever candidate they choice at the convention. In a close race where neither candidate has the 2,025 needed delegates to surge forth to be the front-runner those superdelegate votes are golden tickets.
As it stands right now Obama is leading the race but it's not a large enough lead to take the position. When it comes to superdelegates though Clinton has that edge, 235 superdelegates compared to 160 for Obama. There are 400 more though that hold the final tally call.
"There has to be some agreement between the Clinton and Obama campaigns as to how to handle it," New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, a prominent supporter of her campaign, said Sunday.
"We need to win in November and if one side tries to shove down the throats of the other side any rule, so that ... all of her or his supporters walk away upset, we will lose."
