(Some) Supers Stick With Clinton

Despite the widespread notion that the race for the Democratic nomination is over, 16 members of Congress penned a letter to their colleagues today urging them to support Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.). The letter highlights Clinton's argument that she is the most electable candidate in November because she has won more big rural states that, the argument goes, a Democrat must win to get to 270 in the electoral college. Here are highlights of the letter, which is available here.

Hillary has shown she can win the all-important battleground states like Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida even while being outspent. This speaks to her ability to connect with voters we must deliver in the fall, including blue collar Democrats who can sway this election as they have in the past.

...

Hillary has won rural and suburban districts which we as Democrats must carry to maintain our edge in Congress. Of the fifteen districts rated "toss up" by the Cook Political Report, Hillary has now won ten. Of the 20 districts we picked up in 2006 that had gone for President Bush just two years before, Hillary has now won 16. She is strong in the places we must win to hold and expand our majority.

...

We Democrats are justifiably proud of both of our candidates, and if Sen. Obama is our party’s nominee, we will enthusiastically support him. But our responsibility is not to choose simply to support the eventual nominee; it is to help select the nominee who is best for our party and best for our country. Our choice is clear: Hillary Clinton is that candidate. We believe she should be your choice as well.

While the argument here is nothing new, it's interesting to see these superdelegates so publicly sticking by Clinton now. Maybe these superdelegates don't see any harm in Clinton staying in the race as long as she keeps it positive through the last contest on June 3. If Clinton doesn't bow out shortly after that, the superdelegates will have to step in to end the contest. If they don't, as I mentioned in my story yesterday, a convention fight would be disastrous for their party in November.

Crossposted at The Streak.