Depending on who you ask, referring to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee is either obvious or massively premature.
The point of contention?
Members of the Democratic National Committee who will serve as unbound delegates at the upcoming Democratic National Convention.
Also known as “superdelegates,” these DNC members have no obligation to support either candidate regardless of the result of the nominating contest in their home states, and a vast majority of them have indicated they’ll support Clinton.
Seventeen superdelegates come from Michigan, a group comprising a wide range of influencers within the Democratic National Committee, including the state’s full Democratic congressional delegation, labor leaders and education advocates.
Of Michigan’s 17 superdelegates, 12 have pledged support to Clinton, and none so far have indicated they’ll support Sanders, though he took 49.8% of the vote to Clinton’s 48.3% in the state’s presidential primary March 8.
Here is how the 17 superdelegates break down:
Uncommitted:
- Steven Cook, President, Michigan Education Association
- Nancy Quarles, Oakland County Board of Commissioners
- Virgie Rollins, Chair, DNC Black Caucus
- Norwood Jewell, Vice President, United Auto Workers
- Brandon Dillon, Chair, Michigan Democratic Party
Committed to Hillary Clinton:
- U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn
- U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township
- U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, D-Southfield
- U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Detroit
- U.S. Rep. Sandy Levin, D-Royal Oak
- U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-MI
- U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-MI
- Barry Goodman, former president of the Michigan Association for Justice, personal injury attorney
- Dennis Archer, former Detroit mayor, former Michigan Supreme Court justice
- Jill Alper, political strategist, former DNC political director
- Shauna Ryder Diggs, University of Michigan regent
- Al Garrett, President of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 25
