House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi endorsed likely Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton just as California voters were prepared to head to the polls Tuesday, saying she held out in part because of her own role as a superdelegate.
“I’m a voter in California and I have voted for Hillary Clinton for president of the United States and proud to endorse her for that position,” Mrs. Pelosi said in an interview for ABC’s “Good Morning America” Tuesday.
Mrs. Clinton secured the number of delegates needed to clinch the Democratic nomination on Monday, according to a tally from The Associated Press.
But her campaign said she’s still working to earn every vote, as a handful of states, including California, vote on Tuesday.
“I hasten to say that it’s not over ’til it’s over,” Mrs. Pelosi said. “Californians haven’t voted, nor have others in five states.”
“So while the nomination may be there in the numbers in terms of superdelegates, I didn’t endorse yet because I am a superdelegate and I think that the matter should be determined by the voters,” she said.
Sen. Bernard Sanders’ campaign said the Vermont senator’s job is to convince superdelegates to support him before the party’s convention in July, and that Mrs. Clinton doesn’t yet have the required number of pledged delegates to secure the nomination.
Mrs. Pelosi said Mr. Sanders knows what’s on the line in the election and that there needs to be unification going forward.
“He wants to influence the platform. I think that’s fine,” she said. “I think that he’ll go forward in a way that will be constructive to the party.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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