Thursday, May 15, 2008

Clinton Superdelegate Reveals He Voted for Obama

By Jonathan Allen, CQ Staff

Clinton superdelegate Brad Ellsworth said Wednesday that he cast his vote in the May 6 Indiana Democratic presidential primary for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, adding yet another intriguing twist to the mystery of just who the conservative freshman lawmaker supports.

"In the booth, I voted for Obama," said Ellsworth, who announced after the Indiana primary that he planned to use his vote as a superdelegate to support New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton unless there was a compelling reason not to back her.

That was taken by many observers, most notably the Clinton campaign, as an endorsement. But Ellsworth's office quickly sought to clarify that, saying that the commitment of his superdelegate vote was contingent on the race going all the way to the convention and was not tantamount to an endorsement.

Instead, Ellsworth notes that he is following the wishes of the Democrats in his southwestern 8th District, who overwhelmingly favored Clinton and helped her to a narrow win in the Hoosier State.

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