Mo. Democrats back Obama

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Several of Missouri's top-ranking superdelegates endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Tuesday night after Obama proclaimed he had won the nomination.

The state Democratic Party said Obama picked up the support of Attorney General Jay Nixon, who is the party's leading gubernatorial candidate, as well as that of Secretary of State Robin Carnahan and state party chairman John Temporiti.

The joint statement from Missouri's Democratic Party came after Obama won a mathematical lock on the nomination after a long and closely contested campaign against Hillary Clinton. As other previously undeclared superdelegates flocked to his side, Obama declared victory on the last day of presidential primaries during a speech in St. Paul, Minn.

Nixon, Carnahan and Temporiti had intentionally remained neutral in the primary until an apparent victor emerged.

"Democrats are already uniting behind Sen. Obama, and over the coming weeks, I expect to see many independents and Republicans unite behind him as well," Nixon said in the statement. "I look forward to joining Sen. Obama on the campaign trail this fall as we fight to change the direction Missouri and the nation."

Carnahan said in a statement that Obama has her "complete support" and will receive her vote as a superdelegate at the Democratic National Convention. She also expressed hope that Obama and Clinton supporters can join together for the general election against Republican John McCain.