Six of nine Tennessee superdelegates support Clinton; Al Gore uncommitted

In this June 13, 2015, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, gesture to supporters on Roosevelt Island in New York.
In this June 13, 2015, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, gesture to supporters on Roosevelt Island in New York.

NASHVILLE - Six of the nine Democratic superdelegates in Tennessee are publicly supporting Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential bid.

One notable uncommitted superdelegate is Al Gore, who was President Bill Clinton's running mate in 1992 and served as vice president for two terms. Gore's office did not elaborate on his reasons for delaying his decision.

Superdelegates can support the candidate of their choice at the Democratic National Convention, regardless of what happens in the primaries and caucuses. They make up about 30 percent of the delegates needed to clinch the nomination.

The Associated Press contacted all 712 superdelegates in the past two weeks to ask which candidate they plan to support at the convention next summer. Clinton had the support of 359, while Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders had eight and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley had 2. Meanwhile, 210 superdelegates remained uncommitted.

Clinton's Tennessee supporters include U.S. Reps. Jim Cooper and Steve Cohen and Democratic National Committee members Gale Carson Jones, John Litz, Myron Lowery and Bill Owen.

Uncommitted superdelegates include Gore, state Democratic Party Chairwoman Mary Mancini and DNC member Will Cheek.

"I plan to wait until the Democratic voters in Tennessee have cast their votes," Cheek said.

Tennessee is among several Super Tuesday states holding their presidential primaries on March 1.

Clinton easily won Tennessee over Barack Obama in 2008, though she lost in the state's Democratic cities of Nashville, Memphis and Chattanooga.

She was scheduled to hold her first Tennessee campaign rallies of the 2016 cycle in Memphis and Nashville on Nov. 20.

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