PROVIDENCE, R.I.—Attorney General Patrick Lynch endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for president on Saturday, making him the second prominent Rhode Island Democrat to pick Obama over his rival, Sen. Hillary Clinton.
"He's the greatest hope for our country," Lynch said in a phone interview Saturday, just over three weeks before Rhode Island's March 4 primary.
"The spirit, energy, intelligence, vision and inspiration that he offers is what our country needs right now," he said.
Lynch joins Rep. Patrick Kennedy as the two key Obama supporters in Rhode Island. Lynch's announcement is particularly significant because he is a superdelegate with an automatic vote at the party's national convention this summer. Since the race between Clinton and Obama is so close, superdelegates could become critical at the convention.
In Rhode Island, Clinton still has more support from superdelegates, with six superdelegates saying they back her, including Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and Rep. Jim Langevin.
Lynch's older brother, Bill Lynch, the chairman of the state Democratic Party and another superdelegate, endorsed Clinton.
"With a war on two fronts and an economy sliding into recession, it's important to choose a leader in the Oval Office who can tackle the many challenges our country faces," Bill Lynch said.
Bill Lynch has served as chairman of the Rhode Island Democratic Party since 1998.
"I'm honored to have the support of Chairman Lynch," Clinton said in a statement.
Patrick Lynch said he thinks Clinton would make a wonderful president, and it was not an easy decision. But he said Obama has a fresh, promising voice.
Lynch said he spoke with the candidate Friday night and addressed him as "President Obama," something the senator said had "a good ring to it." Lynch also encouraged Obama to come to Rhode Island.
"He said he hopes to," Lynch said. He added that the Clintons have always been hugely popular in Rhode Island, and that will be difficult to overcome.
"We have a fight on our hands, but I think we have momentum on our side," he said. "We have a better candidate."
Joe Fernandez, co-chair of the Obama campaign in Rhode Island, said he was thrilled by the news.
"The endorsement is especially important given the attorney general's status as a superdelegate," he said in a phone interview.
Lynch said he would travel to Maine on Sunday with Kennedy to campaign for Obama as the state holds its caucuses.
Lynch has a basketball connection with Obama's family. He was a star basketball player at Brown University and Obama's brother-in-law, Craig Robinson, is now the Ivy League team's coach.
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