Black lawmakers in Congress represent 40 million African Americans, do you think their support will help a candidate win?

Posted July 19, 2007 – As presidential candidates work to earn support from the American people, they’ll first look to their colleagues in Congress. So far, the Democratic presidential hopefuls have been able to garner the support in their home state but few others.  

Take a look at whom the Black members of Congress have publicly endorsed among the three top contenders for the nomination.
 
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) has an impressive list of members of the Congressional Black Caucus backing him: 
Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.)
Rep. Jesse Jackson (D-Ill.)
Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.)
Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.)
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D- Md.)
Rep. Artur Davis (D- Ala.)
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.)
Rep. Al Green (D- Texas)
Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.)
Like Obama in Illinois, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) swept her state for the Congressional Black Caucus endorsements:
Rep. Yvette Clark (D-N.Y.)
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.)
Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.)
Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.)
Rep. Alcee Hasting (D-Fla.)
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas)
Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.)
Rep. Stephanie Tubbs-Jones (D-Ohio)

Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) list is the shortest with only three confirmed supporters:
Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.)
Rep. Mel Watt (D-N.C.)
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D- Texas)

So far half of the CBC have not signed on with a presidential candidate.  Gov. Bill Richardson (D- N.M.), Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Sen. Joe Biden (D-Conn.) do have members of congress offering home state support only Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) and former Sen. Mike Gravel (D-Alaska) have no congressional endorsements.

But it’s still early.