The chair of the was watching last Saturday when she noticed that the Aloha State was listed as having 35 delegates in the 2016 presidential election.
That came as a surprise to Stephanie Ohigashi, as the party had been advertising that it had 34 delegates 鈥 25 pledged ones and nine聽at-large superdelegates who are allowed to support whoever they want.
It turned out that just聽the day before, the announced that Hawaii鈥檚 lieutenant governor, Shan Tsutsui, would be given superdelegate status because he is chair of the association’s Democratic lieutenant governors.
鈥淲e congratulate him and know that he will represent Hawaii well on the national level,鈥 said Ohigashi.
The announcement carries some significance, as Bernie Sanders, the Vermont senator who is doggedly competing in the Democratic presidential contest, has recently argued that superdelegates should from their support for Hillary Clinton.
Sanders has won five of the last six state contests, including a 70 percent to 30 percent victory over the former secretary of state in Hawaii’s preference poll.
While Clinton鈥檚 lead is formidable 鈥 as of Thursday she had 1,259 pledged delegates and 483 superdelegates to Sanders 1,020 and 31, respectively 鈥 it is theoretically not insurmountable.
Exactly 2,383 delegates are needed to clinch the nomination.
CNN reports that . Big states still remain on the primary and caucus election schedule, including Wisconsin, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, California and New Jersey.
In last Saturday’s聽presidential preference poll, Sanders picked up 17 pledged delegates and Clinton eight. Here鈥檚 the list of Hawaii鈥檚 superdelegates and who they have said they are supporting:
- Gov.聽David Ige聽鈥 uncommitted
- U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono 鈥 Clinton
- U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz 鈥 Clinton
- U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard 鈥 Sanders
- U.S. Rep. Mark Takai 鈥 Clinton
- DNC National Committeewoman Jadine Neilsen 鈥 Clinton
- DNC National Committeeman Russell Okata 鈥 Clinton
- DNC Hawaii State Party Chairperson Stephanie Ohigashi 鈥 Uncommitted
- DNC Hawaii State Party Vice Chair Douglas Pyle 鈥 Uncommitted
- DNC Affiliated Organization Representative: Hawaii Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui 鈥 Clinton
At least one Hawaii superdelegate, U.S. Rep. Mark Takai, said he remains committed to Clinton but would 鈥渘ever say never鈥 should Sanders ride into the party鈥檚 national convention this summer with a hefty delegate count of his own.
Former Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie, himself a former superdelegate, said this week that Hawaii鈥檚 other superdelegates .
For his part, Tsutsui said he will remain 鈥渙pen-minded鈥 about who he will support. While he endorsed Clinton, that was well before he learned of his superdelegate status.
鈥淚t鈥檚 still early in the process,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 obviously support Hillary, but I certainly see the sentiment view of the majority of folks who voted during the caucus. I remain open and will do a little more homework on the process.鈥
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About the Author
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Chad Blair is the politics editor for Civil Beat. You can reach him by email at cblair@civilbeat.org or follow him on Twitter at .