Superdelegate Shuler, which way will you go?

Gordon at Scrutiny Hooligans had a good post the other week about U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler and his role in presidential politics. Shuler is designated a “superdelegate” and had pledged his support for John Edwards. Here’s some of what Gordon said:

There are currently 4,049 total alloted delegates to the Democratic National Convention. 3,253 are known as pledged delegates, those who will express the will of the primary voters. 796 are superdelegates, those who can, like Shuler, put their support behind anyone they choose. The total number of delegate votes needed to win the nomination is 2,025. Superdelegates are something of a Democratic Party House of Lords.

Right now Hillary Clinton is way ahead in superdelegate numbers, and Obama is ahead on pledged delegate numbers. Superdelegates can change their minds anytime in the process, so if Hillary tanks between now and Feb. 6th, you can look to a lot of her support to jump elsewhere. The same will be true, of course, if Obama tanks. Superdelegates for Edwards will eventually put their support behind another candidate, and I think Shuler will be more than happy to hold off on that decision until long after the outcome is certain.

With Edwards now out of the race, who will Shuler support? It’s unclear, but the Christian Science Monitor says the chase for these delegates is hot and heavy:

On Capitol Hill, the chase after superdelegate support has been unrelenting since summer. So far, 81 members of Congress have endorsed Senator Clinton, 49 have endorsed Senator Obama, and 15 have endorsed former Sen. John Edwards (D) of North Carolina.

“I’ve had inquires from the different camps, but I’d like to make the decision at the end of the process,” says Tom Allen (D) of Maine, who is running for the Senate in 2008. “There’s some advantage to being the last to make a decision, if it comes down to that. But it would be better for the country to have it settled earlier.”

Rep. Melvin Watt (D) of North Carolina, who has endorsed Mr. Edwards, says he and other superdelegates will continue to assess the race. The advantage of superdelegates is that “generally we’re in step with the electorate. We can play that role with less emotion,” he says.