Congressional Black Caucus Split Evenly Between Backers of Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama

[CatWoman]

In the race for endorsements in a tightening presidential primary season, the 42-member Congressional Black Caucus is evenly split between Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in its members' support.

Both Obama and Clinton have 17 backers among the CBC's ranks. Three CBC members are supporting Edwards, and five have not committed to any candidate yet.

California Rep. Maxine Waters, who announced her support for Clinton Tuesday, offered the most recent endorsement.

"At a time when the economy continues to worsen and so many of my constituents are losing their homes and their jobs, we need someone with the leadership and experience who can step in on day one to tackle the economic challenges our country is facing," Waters said. "Hillary understands the daily challenges that people are facing and she will fight for them everyday she is in the White House."

Issues of race and gender have come to the forefront of the campaign, pitting Clinton, who hopes to be the first female president, against Obama, seeking to become the first black to hold the job.

Among those endorsing Clinton are Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas; Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio; Kendrick Meek, Corrine Brown and Alcee Hastings of Florida; Yvette Clarke, Charles Rangel, Gregory Meeks and Edolphus Towns of New York; Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri; Dianne Watson and Laura Richardson of California; David Scott and John Lewis of Georgia and Donna Christian-Christensen (V.I.).

Obama’s supporters include Bobby Scott of Virginia; Danny K. Davis, Bobby Rush and Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois; Barbara Lee of California; Artur Davis of Alabama; Gwen Moore of Wisconsin; William Lacy Clay of Missouri; Elijah Cummings of Maryland; Sanford Bishop and Hank Johnson of Georgia; John Conyers of Michigan; Keith Ellison of Minnesota; Chaka Fattah of Pennsylvania and Al Green of Texas.

http://www.blackamericaweb.com/site.aspx/bawnews/movingamerica08/cbcsplit130

[murielm99]

1. Very nice article.

Thanks for posting this.

[onehandle]

2. Someone earlier today posted that you could count Hillary's supporters on one hand...

...in the House and Senate.

Looks like it's not true.