The Trail

DELEGATE RACE

Edwards Supporters Follow Endorsement

At least six of the eight pledged delegates that former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards won in South Carolina are expected to jump to Barack Obama after Edwards's endorsement Wednesday of the senator from Illinois, according to a CNN report.

Will more switch? Already one of Edwards's four New Hampshire pledged delegates has pledged himself to the likely nominee; Edwards's four pledged delegates in Iowa remain up for grabs.

As for superdelegates, when Edwards dropped out on Jan. 30, he had endorsements from 28 -- 14 lawmakers and 14 Democratic National Committee members.

As of yesterday afternoon, nine of the House members backing Edwards had switched to Obama, leaving just four uncommitted pro-Edwards lawmakers and one who said he would vote for Hillary Clinton.

Seven of Edwards's DNC superdelegates have shifted to Obama; two have switched to Clinton. Five remain uncommitted. That leaves a total of 18 Edwards convention votes for both campaigns to lobby.

-- Shailagh Murray

THE LABOR VOTE

Steelworkers Union Gives Obama the Nod

The United Steelworkers fell in behind Obama yesterday and gave the senator from Illinois its endorsement.

"Today, by virtue of a unanimous vote of our International Executive Board, we find ourselves once again in agreement with Senator Edwards, this time with his decision last evening to endorse Senator Barack Obama," the union, which had previously endorsed John Edwards, said in a release.

Union spokesman Marco Trbovich said the union will be active in the remaining primary states and noted that it has significant membership in Kentucky, which goes to the polls Tuesday.

The Steelworkers, who number 650,000 nationwide, have not traditionally spent money on advertising. But Trbovich said: "We have a very formidable field operation. And within the law, we communicate very significantly to our membership."

-- Matthew Mosk