State convention: Democrats push to stop using superdelegates to help pick presidential nominee
ASHWAUBENON -- Wisconsin Democrats send a message to the national party: Stop using superdelegates to help pick a presidential nominee. The vote at the Democratic State Convention in Ashwaubenon this weekend was solid, but its impact is not clear.
They join other state parties in Alaska, Hawaii, Vermont, Maine and Utah -- asking the national party to get rid of superdelegates.
"The problem is, it's been a stacked deck from the start," said Randy Schumann, Bernie Sanders supporter.
Saturday's vote is a win for Bernie Sanders supporters, who see the nominating process as one designed for Hillary Clinton to win.
"And we're being told, and Sanders has been told months before this, 'just drop out, you're ruining everything for poor Hillary.' The game is not over," said Buzz Davis, Sanders supporter.
Superdelegates are party officials who get to vote on the Democrats' presidential nominee. They're controversial because they don't have to go along with how their state voted.
That's an issue in Wisconsin -- where Sanders won the April primary, picking up more "pledged delegates." But Clinton has nearly eliminated Sanders' advantage by picking up superdelegates.
"I think the superdelegate system has to be considered a problem," said Russ Feingold, U.S. Senate candidate.
Russ Feingold threw his support behind change. Even though he's been very careful not to endorse Sanders or Clinton.
"I think they have to reevaluate it. I've never liked it," said Feingold.
Russ Feingold
Republicans delighted in the controversy.
"We're seeing a backlash from the fact that Washington Democrats, D.C. party insiders, have put their finger on the scale to unfairly prop up Hillary Clinton's campaign," said Pat Garrett, Wisconsin GOP spokesman.
The resolution that passed Saturday is not binding, meaning national Democrats are not required to take Wisconsin's position into account at the convention in July.
Democrats will also ask Wisconsin's 10 current superdelegates to vote proportionally to April's election results. That would be six for Sanders, four for Clinton.