Virginia's six uncommitted superdelegates are facing new pressure from Democratic activists to back Barack Obama for president.

In a letter to the superdelegates, 40 party leaders from some of the largest localities express fear that the fight between Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton is weakening the party and only helps John McCain, the probable Republican nominee.

"Where we're going is destructive," said Fairfax County Democratic Chairman Scott A. Surovell, who endorsed Obama after former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards quit the race.

In the letter, the county, city and congressional district chairmen urge the unpledged superdelegates to support Obama because primary outcomes -- including the Illinois senator's big win in Virginia in February -- augur his nomination.

One uncommitted superdelegate, state Democratic Chairman C. Richard Cranwell of Roanoke County, was not persuaded by the letter. He said Democrats will be strengthened by the continuing Obama-Clinton struggle.

"It's healthy from the standpoint of allowing us to sort through and look at our candidates, stem to stern," said Cranwell, who had supported Edwards. "As tough as that may be, it will help us in the fall."

Mame Reiley, a Clinton superdelegate, is sticking with her candidate, saying, "I gave Hillary Clinton my word." Reiley also called for a Clinton-Obama ticket to unify Democrats.

As the tight race continues, there is a possibility that superdelegates -- party insiders, such as elective officials, fundraisers and senior activists -- will decide the Democratic nomination. They number 796, making up a fifth of the delegates to the August convention in Denver.

Virginia has 16 superdelegates, six of whom are pledged to Clinton, four to Obama.

Those who are uncommitted, in addition to Cranwell, are former Clinton administration Labor Secretary Alexis Herman, Virginia AFL-CIO President Jim Leaman, Sen. Jim Webb, John Johnson and Jerome Wiley-Segovia.

To bring around neutral superdelegates, Surovell and Arlington County Democratic Chairman Peter Rousselot have launched an online petition: www.ipetitions.com/petition/VAObamaSuperdelegate1/

The letter's signatories represent roughly a third of Virginia's Democratic unit leaders. Their jurisdictions generated nearly 51 percent of the Democratic vote in the Feb. 12 presidential primary. Obama defeated Clinton in Virginia 63.5 percent to 35 percent.

That means among pledged delegates, Obama grabbed 55 of 85.

"The only way in which Hillary Clinton could secure the Democratic nomination is if you were to overturn the will of both the commonwealth of Virginia's and the nation's elected pledged delegates," the chairmen said.

They added, "Your role as superdelegates is to lead and show the wisdom and judgment to do what is right for our party. We urge you to act -- now. Please lead us out of the party-rending path down which we are headed."
Contact Jeff E. Schapiro at (804) 649-6814 or jschapiro@timesdispatch.com.