Rep. Van Hollen: Superdelegates Should Take Cue From Voters

As head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Rep. Chris Van Hollen has chosen to stay neutral in the presidential contest. But, as a superdelegate, he may have tipped his hand as to which candidate he will end up supporting.

In an interview with Capitol News Connection, the Maryland Democrat echoed an argument of Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign that superdelegates -- the nearly 800 Democratic Party insiders who can tip the outcome of the primary -- should take their cues from the pledge delegate tally.

"We'll have to see how this develops," Van Hollen told the program. "But I do believe that every superdelegate has to really take into consideration the judgment of the American people and the elected delegates, meaning those who are pledged, as we reach a decision." (Audio is here, toward the very end.)

Notably, Van Hollen declined to reveal whom he supported. In last weeks Potomac Primary, his home state went overwhelmingly to Obama.

As a low-key but still national Democratic figure, the congressman's support would carry with it political and symbolic significance for either candidate. But Van Hollen stressed that his priorities were on achieving a greater majority in the House of Representatives for either Democratic presidential candidate to work with.

"I made it clear early on that I wasn't going to take any position in the presidential primary," said Van Hollen. "Because we work -- we the DCCC -- very closely with both presidential campaigns, both the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Barack Obama campaign. And of course, we look forward to working with the eventual nominee to make sure that that new president has a strong Democratic majority in the House to work with. Because of that I have not yet taken a position."