WASHINGTON — Hillary Rodham Clinton's Pennsylvania win has bought her time -- but not much -- to make her case to the Democratic Party's superdelegates, many of whom expressed a strong desire Wednesday to end the nominating contest once the final votes are cast.
Though few seem eager to use their power to call a halt to the presidential race -- and many said they welcomed the continued balloting -- a number of party leaders and other activists sent a clear signal that they want the fight over well before the Democratic convention in August.
"If June 3 is the last primary, then after June 3 is the time to make a decision," said Wayne Dowdy, chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party and an uncommitted superdelegate.
Blake Johnson, vice chairman of Alaska's Democratic Party, agreed. "After all the states have voted, it'll be time for the superdelegates to make their decision," said Johnson, who is also neutral in the primaries.
Interviews with dozens of superdelegates across the country Wednesday turned up a growing acceptance that the intramural contest between Sen. Clinton of New York and Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois will probably continue for six more weeks. The primary season ends June 3 in Montana and South Dakota.
Many viewed the ongoing race as a good thing, saying it would toughen the eventual nominee and give Democrats in more states a chance to organize and get involved in the campaign. The next big contests are May 6 in North Carolina and Indiana.
"What happened in Pennsylvania, and what is going to happen in North Carolina and Indiana, is voter registration of Democrats is going up," said Lauren Glover, vice chairwoman of the Maryland Democratic Party. "If those votes didn't matter, it would be difficult for state parties to increase voter rolls."
Though some Democrats cringed at some of the attacks leveled over the last month, several said it was better to expose the candidates' weaknesses now rather than wait until fall.
Many of the superdelegates interviewed said they believed any hard feelings within the party would be forgiven and forgotten long before November, once the general election fight against Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the likely GOP nominee, is truly joined.
"Most families -- loving families even -- have fights," said Robert Rankin of Carson, a leader of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party. "As they realize what the greater good is, most families come together. Whatever happens, [Democrats] will come together. I just believe that."
