2008 Democratic National Convention

Obama and Mikulski: In 2006Will Campaign For Him This Summer

U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Baltimore) officially endorsed Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) this afternoon, pledging to cast her vote for him at this summer's Democratic National Convention following the concession speech of her first choice, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY).

An ardent supporter whose early endorsement came over 13 months ago, Mikulski served as a national co-chair of the Clinton campaign.

"The respect and admiration I had for Hillary before this process has only increased," she said in a statement. "Today, I am equally proud to join Hillary in my enthusiastic endorsement of Barack Obama for President."

On Wedneday, Mikulski told PolitickerMD.com that she expects Democratic Party unity "within the next few weeks." Today she pledged to "lend my voice and energy to his campaign" long before she officially votes for him at the August convention.

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama: Photo by Getty ImagesMaryland Democratic Party Chairman Michael Cryor told PolitickerMD.com today that he hopes his decision to publicly endorse Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) will "sway" other superdelegates to the same conclusion. Cryor and state party Vice Chairwoman Lauren Dugas Glover, also a superdelegate, announced their endorsement for Obama yesterday at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Cryor, who has privately been an Obama supporter for some time, said he and Dugas Glover "committed to not endorsing until we had set aside all our requirements as a party."

The Maryland Democratic Central Committee finalized the state's delegation to the Democratic National Convention on Saturday.

"I thought it was important to do now," Cryor said, citing the completion of the delegation, the fact that the Maryland primary has long since passed, the importance of today's primaries in Indiana and North Carolina and Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean's encouragement of superdelegates to make a decision.

The Swamp reports that Rep. Chris Van Hollen doesn't think a Barack Obama-Hillary Clinton or Clinton-Obama ticket to emerge from this contentious primary season.