BY MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON- As a citizen living in North Carolina, David Parker gets to vote in the state’s Democratic presidential primary in May.  As a Democratic superdelegate, he’ll cast a second vote - a much more influential one - when the party meets to nominate Sen. Hillary Clinton or Sen. Barack Obama at the national convention in August.

Though Obama has surged ahead of Clinton in the all-important race for delegates, it’s increasingly possible that neither candidate will have the majority needed to win the nomination when the primary season ends.

The nominee could be determined by the votes of Parker and 795 other superdelegates: local activists, congressmen, former presidents and party insiders from every state who can vote for whomever they please. They’re political free agents.

“Obama touches my heart, Hillary touches my brain. I’m waiting for my last precinct - my gut to come in - and it hasn’t reported yet,” said Parker, who has not decided how to vote.

Of North Carolina’s 17 superdelegates, three are supporting Obama, one is supporting Clinton, and the rest are uncommitted or staying silent. (more…)

WASHINGTON (AP) - Not so fast, Sen. McCain.

John McCain’s campaign issued a statement last week claiming the Arizona senator had surpassed the number of delegates needed to secure the GOP nomination for president, after Mitt Romney endorsed him.

John McCain sure looks like he has the nomination all but wrapped up. But he isn’t there yet, and here’s why: It will take 1,191 delegates to secure the Republican nomination at the national convention this summer. McCain has 908 delegates, including those won in primaries and caucuses as well as endorsements from party leaders who automatically attend the convention. Romney has 253, according to The Associated Press tally.

Together, that’s 1,161 delegates, which could make it tempting for some to put McCain over the top Tuesday evening if he fares well in primaries in Washington state and Wisconsin. A total of 59 delegates will be at stake.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has a total of 245 delegates, placing him behind a candidate who isn’t even in the race anymore. GOP rules, however, say McCain still has work to do.

The rules vary state to state. But in general, Romney has little authority over his delegates after he releases them. The vast majority haven’t been named. Once they are, most will be free agents at the convention, free to support whomever they choose. (more…)

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Overheard Friday night from the lead singer of a cover band playing at Doc’s Gumbo Grille:

“Don’t stay out too late tonight; you all have to get up early in the morning and go to the polls.”

The polls have been open for more than three hours, and they close at 7 p.m. All the networks and pundits are already out there, conducting exit polls.

Here’s the latest from the Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll, conducted the past two days.  

Obama has shored up his lead against Clinton, which had dropped a few points this week. He now has 41 percent of likely voters, compared to Clinton’s 26 percent. Edwards has 19 percent, while 10 percent haven’t decided.

This telephone tracking survey included 816 interviews with likely Democratic voters and carries a margin of error of +/- 3.4 percentage points.

He’s the hometown boy, the one spending a week in South Carolina before Saturday’s primary… and that’s why you should vote for him.

In his brief speech – less than 30 minutes by my count – he only touched on Iraq and spent several minutes talking about healthcare. But the thing you didn’t forget was that John Edwards comes from South Carolina. 

 ”No one knows… when I tell these stories, no one knows where these places are,” he said.

If elected, he’ll bring the troops home from Iraq. [Big applause] 

Healthcare is “screwed up.”  About 47-million people in America don’t have healthcare.

“If we don’t have a president that’s willing to stand up to drug and insurance companies, nothing is going to change,” he said. “Everyone deserves healthcare.” [Big applause]

But most of all, he’s the “home-grown guy” who attended elementary school here. The other “glitzy” candidates each have $100 million he said “and they’re “jetting” in and out to South Carolina’s big cities. But he’s here, and wants you to tell your friends to vote for him Saturday.

“Candidates take small towns for granted,” he said. “The result is, you get ignored. It’s time to have a President of the United States who understands you and stands up for you.”

The crowd seems responsive toward his “tidal wave of change” declarations. But at least 50 of the 650 audience members were his friends and family – at least according to his parents, who introduced him. Maybe that’s why he’s so confident.

“If you get them to the polls, they’re going to vote for me,” he said.

In two days, we find out. Meanwhile, I’ll be talking to people here to find out what they really think. 

Stay tuned.