House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that she wants the Democratic Party to reduce the power of so-called superdelegates, who are playing a key role in ensuring Hillary Clinton wins the party’s presidential nomination.
“For at least 30 years or since this all began, I had been very much opposed to superdelegates,” Pelosi said. “I think it just makes people think, ‘Well, wait a minute. We’re going through an electoral process, and then you’re telling there are 500 people in Washington, D.C., who are going to weigh at the end?'”
Pelosi proposed reducing the weight of superdelegates, who make up about 15 percent of the nomination vote. Her proposal comes just as Bernie Sanders supporters are charging that the nomination process is rigged against them.
“Maybe give them half, maybe give them a pass to the hall on a seat on the floor or something, but not to undermine, to make it look like there’s something else that will weigh in after everyone goes through the electoral process,” Pelosi said.
Pelosi criticized the process just days after the Nevada Democratic convention devolved into violence when a last-minute rules change appeared to give Clinton an unfair advantage over Sanders.
Pelosi condemned the violence and called Sanders “a positive force in the Democratic party,” who has attracted new and enthusiastic supporters.
