"I chair the party that will host the convention so it's only fair I stay as neutral as long as possible," said Pat Waak, chair of the Colorado Democratic Party. "The fact of the matter is we still have several primaries to go. That's what we really want to see is how the voters in those states are going to decide who they're supporting," Waak said. Pat Waak, Chairman of the Democratic Party in Colorado, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Brazil in the 1960's.
Uncommitted Superdelegate Pat Waak pledges to remain uncommitted to any candidate because the Democratic National Convention will be held in Denver
State's 14 Superdelegates Hold Key In Democratic Nomination
Governor, Party Chair Stay Neutral As DNC Hosts
Lane Lyon, 7NEWS Reporter
DENVER -- The tight race for the Democratic presidential nomination means a whole new type of attention on select Democratic National Committee delegates known as super delegates.
"This is different, absolutely different. There's no question," said Ramona Martinez, a former Denver city council member and current national chair of the DNC Hispanic caucus. She is one of 14 superdelegates in Colorado.
Martinez told 7NEWS Tuesday she planned to support Sen. Hillary Clinton.
"Hillary Clinton is getting 60 to 70 percent of Hispanic vote (nationwide), and I think I represent that vote," Martinez said.
At least two of the state's superdelegates pledged to remain uncommitted to any candidate because the Democratic National Convention will be held in Denver.
"I chair the party that will host the convention so it's only fair I stay as neutral as long as possible," said Pat Waak, chair of the Colorado Democratic Party.
Gov. Bill Ritter will hold off endorsing either candidate for the same reason, according to a spokesman.
Colorado's superdelegates are comprised of elected officials, state party leaders, national party chair appointees, citizens elected at the state convention, and a former national party committee chair.
Superdelegates are allowed to cast votes for either candidate during the formal nomination process.
Democratic party insiders told 7NEWS that so far, four delegates appear to be supporting Clinton, compared to three superdelegate votes for Sen. Barack Obama.
The numbers include Rep. Diana DeGette's endorsement of Clinton, and Rep. Ed Perlmutter, who came out in support of Sen. Obama. Remaining delegates have not publicly backed a candidate.
Former Gov. Roy Romer, a superdelegate and spokesman for a bipartisan education effort called EDin08 based Washington, said he's "a neutral guy until June."
"I'm looking at the primaries (Tuesday night), like everyone else, looking to see what is the electability of each of these candidates," Romer said.
Despite a call from DNC National Party Chair Howard Dean to have superdelegates make their votes known by June 1, Waak said she doesn't believe there should be any rush to voice their opinions right away.
"The fact of the matter is we still have several primaries to go. That's what we really want to see is how the voters in those states are going to decide who they're supporting," Waak said.
