There are only five superdelegates in North Carolina who remain up for grabs in the Democratic presidential selection process, and only two of them are Congressional Representatives.  U.S. House Representatives Bob Etheridge (District 2) and Mike McIntyre (District 7) have yet to commit to either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama. 

“The Congressman wants the process to pan out with all voters having their say, and then he’ll make his endorsement,” a spokewoman from Etheridge’s office said.  “He thinks the voters should make their decision first.  After that, the superdelegates can weigh in.”   McIntyre's office was unavailable for comment.

Most recently, Representative Heath Shuler (District 11) threw his support to Clinton, who won most of his district’s votes.  That support might leave voters questioning whether Reps. Etheridge and McIntyre will follow his lead and support the candidate that won their districts. 

Here’s where it gets complicated for Etheridge and McIntyre. Looking strictly at the primary results for their two districts, McIntyre would support Clinton and Etheridge would support Obama.  However, the losing candidate in both of these districts still won major areas.  For example, New Hanover County, an area in McIntyre's District 7 that holds the major port of Wilmington, went for Obama.  Cumberland County, where the Fayetteville/Fort Bragg military area is split within Etheridge’s district and McIntyre’s district, also went for Obama.  In Etheridge’s District 2, Harnett, Johnston and Lee Counties all went for Clinton despite Obama’s overall victory.

(Click here for a visual.)

To make things even more complicated, former president Bill Clinton personally wooed many voters in District 2, such as those who live in Lillington, Sanford and Dunn.  These areas were not visited by either Obama, his wife, or for that matter, any other presidential candidate, president, or former president in American history, according to former State Senator Robert Morgan. 

Both McIntyre and Etheridge supported John Edwards for president prior to his sponsorship of Obama this week. 

Obviously, supporting the eventual Democratic Party nominee will be advantageous to both of these superdelegates, but is potential support in the White House worth going against your district’s wishes?  We will be sure to keep an eye on these two superdelegates as the convention approaches.