35 Texas superdelegates could break Clinton, Obama tie Meet Texas' Democratic Party superdelegates

35 special voters could be the deciding factor between Clinton and Obama

David Hardt, a Dallas superdelegate, got a call from former President Clinton, who has been calling superdelegates on behalf of his wife Hillary Clinton's White House campaign. David Hardt, a Dallas superdelegate, got a call from former President Clinton, who has been calling superdelegates on behalf of his wife Hillary Clinton's White House campaign. Photo: AMY CONN-GUTIERREZ, For The Chronicle Photo: AMY CONN-GUTIERREZ, For The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close 35 Texas superdelegates could break Clinton, Obama tie 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

The telephone call was unexpected. The voice on the other end of the line told David Hardt of Dallas to stand by: The former president of the United States wanted to speak to him.

"I was really shocked. When I first heard it, I thought it was one of my buddies playing a trick on me," Hardt said of the call about a month ago from Bill Clinton. "But his voice is just unmistakable. So I was a little dumbfounded. I didn't know what to say at first. But he's very easy to talk to."

Hardt is president of the Young Democrats of America and a member of the Democratic National Committee.

And because of that, he is among about 800 superdelegates to this summer's national convention who may end up becoming the tiebreakers in a close race between Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama for the party's nomination.

So far in Texas, Clinton leads Obama among the 35 superdelegates 13-5, with 17 remaining unpledged — including Hardt, which explains why he received calls from both Clintons and was given a face-to-face meeting with former first daughter Chelsea. He has yet to hear from Obama.

"I'm still waiting for the call, though," Hardt said.

The Illinois senator's supporters have complained that Clinton is trying to win the nomination by corralling superdelegates. The Obama forces argue that superdelegates' votes should reflect their states' primaries or caucuses.

Clinton, who campaigned in West and South Texas last week, told the Houston Chronicle that going after the superdelegates is a fair part of the process.

"There's nothing unusual about what we're doing this year. It's what's always been done," she said. "The way the party operates, you have a variety of people who influence the final decision. Those are the rules."

The Texas superdelegates include all Democratic members of Congress, all those sitting on the party's national committee and three persons to be named later. They also include the state party chairman, the vice chair and several honored party faithful, such as former DNC Chairman Bob Strauss and former Speaker of the House Jim Wright.

The Republican Party does not have superdelegates.

Al Edwards of Houston, who has been on the Democratic National Committee for more than 20 years and was re-elected by the state convention in 2006, said he is uncommitted for now because he is running to regain his former Texas House seat from state Rep. Borris Miles of Houston.

"What I tell them is I'm going to support all of the Democrats," Edwards said. "Now that I've got my own campaign, I'm not going to get involved in somebody else's."

John Patrick of Friendswood, a national committee member and an executive with the United Steel Workers, noted that his union had supported former Sen. John Edwards until he suspended his campaign. "What I'm doing now is sitting back," Patrick said.

Patrick said he is staying neutral because various labor organizations are split between Obama and Clinton.

Bob Slagle, a national committee member who supported Bill Richardson, said he received a call from one of Clinton's top organizers, Harold Ickes, asking for his pledge. Slagle said he remains uncommitted but will vote for the senator from New York at the convention based on her experience. "That's extremely important in the world that George Bush is leaving behind."

Slagle said he expects that the superdelegates ultimately will cast votes reflecting their states' primaries or caucuses, although it is not mandated.

State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, who is not a superdelegate, said too much is being made of their role.

Coleman noted that at the state convention this summer, Texas will elect 25 party and elected officials to the national convention. He said the group is all but guaranteed to include himself, state Rep. Juan Garcia of Corpus Christi and other lawmakers pledged to Obama.

"So it kind of washes out the superdelegates," Coleman said.

Hardt, the Young Democrats leader, said the criticism of superdelegates is unfair. They are the activists who keep the party going, he said, and they deserve a say in choosing the nominee.

"I don't knock on doors in the 100-degree heat in the middle of a Texas summer for nothing," he said.

"When we're in the middle of a down time, and everybody thinks the party is dead in a state or in the nation, and we have no electeds, someone's got to keep that party together. It's usually people like us.

"So we have earned our right to sit at the table."

San Antonio Express-News reporter Peggy Fikac contributed to this report.

rg.ratcliffe@chron.com