Capitol Briefing (via FamousDC)

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) split today from Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other House Democratic leaders on the role superdelegates should play in deciding the party’s presidential nomination.

[...]

Last month, Pelosi told reporters that she did not support the idea that superdelegates might hand the nomination to a candidate who was trailing in the pledged delegate count after the party’s primaries and caucuses were over.

[...]

But Hoyer took a different tack in his weekly press briefing today, when he was asked whether it would be right for superdelegates to decide the election.

Pointing out that most superdelegates have been elected by the people and nominated by Democrats to hold their positions, Hoyer said: “The superdelegates were created, in my view, to bring their judgment, their experience and their commitment to success in the general election, and to bring that judgment to bear on how best we can accomplish the most success.”

Asked by a reporter whether that meant “superdelegates should exercise their conscience, regardless of what the pledged delegate totals might be at convention time,” Hoyer repeated that superdelegates “should bring their experience to bear on the question of the nominee.”

“The superdelegates didn’t do a bad job with Abraham Lincoln,” Hoyer continued. “They didn’t do a bad job with Franklin Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson or even Harry Truman.”

Hoyer also said, though, that he “didn’t expect that to be a concern” and reiterated his previously expressed hope that the nomination would be decided by May.

Related posts:

1. Maryland Superdelegates
2. MD Clinton supporters torn on convention voting
3. Gingrich says GOP can gain if Obama wins
4. Harford County Tea Party on May 19
5. McDonough to review election and discuss GOP future