“After taking some time for serious reflection on this issue, I have decided that when I cast my vote as a superdelegate at the Democratic convention, it is my duty as a representative of the 5th Congressional District to express the will of the people. As a U.S. representative, it is my role not to try to subdue or suppress the will of the people, but to help it prosper and grow.

“Something is happening in America. There is a movement, there is a spirit, there is an enthusiasm in the hearts and minds of the American people that I have not seen in a long time, since the candidacy of Robert Kennedy. The people are pressing for a new day in American politics, and I think they see Sen. Barack Obama as a symbol of that change.”

“This has been a difficult decision for me. I have a deep and abiding love for both Sen. Clinton and President Clinton. Sen. Clinton is a brilliant and capable candidate. Regardless of what happens in November, the Democratic Party will be making history. However, the people of my district have spoken, and I think that as their vessel, I should represent their wishes at the convention. I have attempted to contact Sen. Clinton, and I have not spoken to President Clinton or Sen. Obama to arrive at this conclusion.

“I think the people of my district know that I arrive at my decisions independently, not based on politics or pressure, but because I believe it is right. When I speak to students about the Civil Rights Movement, I say that it is impossible to stop a determined movement that is captivating the American consciousness. I think the candidacy of Sen. Obama represents the beginning of a new movement in American political history that began in the hearts and minds of the people of this nation. And I want to be on the side of the people, on the side of the spirit of history.”