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Brian Melendez, the chair of the DFL, and Donna Cassutt the associate chair of the DFL have both announced that they will be supporting Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention in August where they will be super delegates.

Joe Bodell has another section of their letter up, and according to DemConWatch, Obama has an 8-3 advantage in superdelegates with Nancy Larson , Colin Peterson and Amy Klobuchar as the only MN superdelegates who haven’t publicly announced their votes.

[Update:] At 10:30 the UpTake will be covering Melendez and Cassutt’s press conference live.

The press release after the jump, and an excerpt from their letter to the State Central Committee .

TWO MINNESOTA SUPERDELEGATES SUPPORT BARACK OBAMA

Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez and Associate Chair Donna Cassutt Back Obama

Chicago, IL – Today, the Chair and Associate Chair of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party endorsed Barack Obama. Chair Brian Melendez and Associate Chair Donna Cassutt —to Minnesota superdelegates — backed Obama, citing his overwhelming win in the Minnesota caucuses and ability to bring new voters into the process.

Chair Brian Melendez said, “Before Super Tuesday, I decided that, as a superdelegate, I would support whichever candidate won the presidential-preference ballot in Minnesota — and Senator Obama and his campaign for change won it decisively. I also decided that I would hold off on announcing this decision in the hope that voters in other states would decide the nomination and that the superdelegates would not affect the outcome.

“Now, however, it appears that the superdelegates’ votes may affect the outcome. I am therefore announcing that I will support Senator Barack Obama for president. I have heard loud and clear the voices of the more than 214,000 enthusiastic DFLers who attended their precinct caucuses. As their elected party chair, I respect their choice, and will be pleased to honor it by casting my vote for Senator Obama at the Democratic National Convention.

“DFLers shattered all turnout records at precinct caucuses this year, braving a cold winter night, long lines, and bustling crowds. We may have supported different candidates for president this year so far, but we are all energized and ready to keep Minnesota blue this November for the ninth presidential election in a row.”

Associate Chair Donna Cassutt said, “Hope, the passion for change, and the belief in the possibilities for our great nation: the over 214,000 Minnesotans who turned out to the DFL precinct caucuses this year showed that all of these are alive and well in Minnesota. Reflecting the enthusiastic and overwhelming support for Senator Barack Obama at our caucuses, I will gladly cast my vote as a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention for Senator Obama.

“With the incredible grassroots energy and the number of folks new to the political process, I am confident that we will not only win Minnesota’s electoral votes in November, but also take back our beloved Paul Wellstone’s Senate seat and usher in a new era of common-sense, progressive politics.”

Senator Obama won the Minnesota Caucuses on February 5th with 66 percent of the vote.

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And this is a small excerpt from Brian and Donna’s letter to the State Central Committee (emphasis mine).

We both have great confidence in, and respect and enthusiasm for, Senator Obama and the message of change that has resonated so strongly with voters in Minnesota and throughout America. But this announcement is not an “endorsement” in the usual sense, because it doesn’t result from our personal judgment about the candidates or their relative merit. (One of us even cast a blank Presidential ballot on Caucus Night.) We also have great confidence in, and respect and enthusiasm for, Senator Clinton, whom we would gladly have supported if she had won the Minnesota caucuses — and will gladly support if she wins the Democratic nomination. We are not joining Senator Obama’s campaign, since our loyalty lies first and foremost with the DFL Party itself; and we will not be using either the Party’s resources, or our own personal time, energy, or other resources, in promoting his campaign or any other. This announcement simply reflects our desire to let the more than two hundred thousand DFLers who braved a cold winter night, long lines, and bustling crowds on Caucus Night know that their voices were heard and that their Party’s heads are honoring their choice.

Closed circuit to Ron Carey: See — this is what you were supposed to do.