How are things shaping up in the Land of Enchantment.
AP survey: Kerry leapfrogs Dean for first time in delegate chase
John Kerry leapfrogged Howard Dean for the first time Monday in the chase for delegates needed to win the Democratic presidential nod, according to an Associated Press survey.
The Massachusetts senator, riding a wave of momentum from victories in Iowa and New Hampshire, pushed ahead of Dean in the delegate hunt thanks to a flurry of endorsements from "superdelegates" -- elected officials and other Democratic insiders who will help choose a nominee at this summer's convention.
According to the AP survey, Kerry had 115 delegates, including endorsements or pledges of support from 82 superdelegates, and 33 pledged delegates allocated to him from his wins in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Kerry has picked up a dozen superdelegate endorsements since Friday, and could widen his delegate lead on Tuesday, when seven states with a total of 269 pledged delegates up for grabs hold primaries or caucuses.
Dean, the former Vermont governor and one-time Democratic front-runner, is second in the AP survey with 114 delegates, including 98 superdelegates and 16 pledged delegates from Iowa and New Hampshire.
First-term Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina is third in the delegate chase with 41 delegates -- 23 superdelegates and 18 pledged delegates from his second-place finish in Iowa.
The remaining Democratic candidates only have superdelegates. Retired Gen. Wesley Clark is fourth with 31 delegates, while three-term Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman has 25.
Rep. Dick Gephardt, the former House leader who bowed out of the race after his poor Iowa finish, had the support of five superdelegates. It is unclear whether they still back Gephardt because the AP hasn't been able to contact them or they have not returned telephone calls seeking comment.
Both long-shot hopefuls -- the Rev. Al Sharpton (4) and Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio (2) -- remain in single digits.
The campaigns keep their own tallies. In some cases, their counts include people who have offered support in private, but who have not made public endorsements.
The AP's tally covered only those who could be contacted, either personally or through a representative, and who have publicly declared support for a candidate. The AP assigned superdelegates who also are candidates, such as Kerry and Edwards, into the endorsement column for that specific candidate, meaning Kerry was assigned to himself.
One superdelegate, conservative Democratic Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia, has endorsed Bush. Miller, a first-term lawmaker, has decided not to seek another term.
sfgate.com
lurqer |
