The Value of Governor Rendell's Endorsement

Pennsylvania's Democratic State Committee has not endorsed a nominee in the presidential contest that's come to the Commonwealth. Top party leaders are backing Hillary Clinton, however, the question remains if that will influence the outcome of the race in Pennsylvania's Primary April 22nd between Senators Clinton and Barack Obama.
Penn State Harrisburg Political Science professor Steve Peterson says the endorsements of Governor Ed Rendell and State Democratic Party leader T.J. Rooney will only be really influential if they translate into action at the community level.

"When you begin to have top operatives saying that they're backing Clinton and so on and you get a sense that Democratic partisans across the state are willing to put in an effort because some of the top leaders are in favor of Clinton then that would be something really positive for her."

Overall, Peterson says despite the hoopla over the candidates campaigning in the Commonwealth this year, the significance of the outcome remains to be seen.

"No one is going to have a majority of delegates before the convention. So Pennsylvania technically isn't going to determine things.

In the meantime the state's Republican Committee has endorsed presumptive nominee John McCain. A fundraiser with Senator McCain is scheduled for March 13th in midstate.