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Rep. Castor Says She'll Support Obama

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By WILLIAM MARCH, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 21, 2008

TAMPA U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor of Tampa, a superdelegate in the Democratic presidential contest, has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama.

Castor announced Wednesday that she will become Obama's Florida co-chairman, along with U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler of Boca Raton.

Castor took that step even though the position of the Obama campaign is that Florida Democratic convention delegates, including Castor, should not have their votes for a candidate counted.

Obama backs the decision of the Democratic National Committee not to seat a Florida delegation at its convention because the state's Jan. 29 presidential primary violated party rules by being too early.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who won the Florida primary, has said the Florida delegates should be seated and vote at the August convention.

The rules of both national political parties said most states should not hold primaries before Feb. 5.

In a statement Wednesday, Castor called Obama "the right person at the right time."

"People are energized by the Obama campaign because it embodies our hope for change," she said. "Senator Obama offers the most determined and coherent plan for a new direction and change."

Castor's 11th Congressional District includes most of Tampa and parts of southern Pinellas and northern Manatee counties.

The district is about 25 percent black and voted for Obama 47 percent to 41 percent, while the state as a whole backed Clinton 50 percent to 33 percent.

Castor could not be reached for comment late Wednesday on her endorsement.

Asked in an interview Tuesday, before her endorsement, whether the campaign had recruited her, Castor said she had heard only from other members of Congress who back Obama and that she had sought information on his plan for health care.

Asked whether she brought up the issue of the Florida delegation with the Obama backers, she said she had, and their response was, "We need to resolve the situation."

Obama campaign spokesmen did not return calls for comment.

The only other superdelegate from the Tampa Bay area, former Hillsborough County Democratic Party chairwoman Janee Murphy, remains uncommitted.

Reporter William March can be reached at (813) 259-7761 or wmarch@tampatrib .com.

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