Achelpohl hands superdelegate vote to Obama

 9 comment(s)  
 E-mail Story
 Print Story
  Share

 digg it!
 Facebook
 del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit

Text Size: 

Tools Sponsor

BY DON WALTON / Lincoln Journal Star

Democratic State Chairman Steve Achelpohl of Omaha has joined a flurry of superdelegates moving to Sen. Barack Obama’s side.

In announcing his endorsement, the Obama campaign released a statement from Achelpohl citing the senator’s ability to “put states like Nebraska in play” during the presidential election this fall.

“Sen. Obama continues to transcend ‘politics as usual’ and focus on the issues that really matter to American families and workers,” Achelpohl said.

[+]Enlarge

Steve Achelpohl

Steve Achelpohl

“Our party can unite behind Sen. Obama and his positive campaign.”

Obama, he said, will “unite Americans from all walks of life behind his historic movement for change.”

Achelpohl waited 10 weeks after Nebraska’s Feb. 9 Democratic presidential caucuses to commit his superdelegate vote.

Obama sailed past Sen. Hillary Clinton in the caucuses, winning two of every three votes.

Achelpohl’s decision gives Obama five of Nebraska’s six superdelegate votes.

Only Audra Ostergard of Lincoln, the party’s 1st associate chairwoman, remains uncommitted. 

Ostergard told a student audience at Doane College earlier this month that she plans to wait until the long string of Democratic primaries and caucuses is completed in June before committing her vote.

Achelpohl’s announcement followed on the heels of Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean’s call for superdelegates to leave the uncommitted ranks.

“I need them to say who they’re for, starting now,” Dean told CNN.

“We’ve got to know who our nominee is.”

Achelpohl’s decision locks up 21 of Nebraska’s 31 delegate votes at the Democratic national convention for Obama. He won 16 delegate slots at the caucuses compared with 8 for Clinton.

Superdelegates previously committed to Obama are Sen. Ben Nelson, National Committeeman Vince Powers of Lincoln, National Committeewoman Kathleen Fahey of Omaha and Frank LaMere of South Sioux City, who represents Native tribes on the party’s national committee.

One of Nebraska’s 31 slots is reserved for an unpledged delegate.

Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or at dwalton@journalstar.com.