AP: Illinois Democratic superdelegates lining up for Clinton

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois superdelegates to the Democratic National Convention next summer appear to be lining up behind Hillary Rodham Clinton for president.

An Associated Press survey of the state's 26 superdelegates found 13 are committed to the former secretary of state or plan to be in her primary battle against Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley.

Four are uncommitted, including Illinois Senate President John Cullerton and Michael Madigan, the House speaker who is chairman of the state Democratic Party. They have their own constituencies to consider before deciding. Nine did not respond to requests from the AP.

Superdelegates are members of Congress, other elected officials and party leaders who will attend the convention in Philadelphia and may support whichever candidate they choose regardless of Illinois primary results. Nationally there are 712, about 30 percent of the 2,382 delegates needed for nomination.

"She's the best qualified, based on experience, based on her ability to beat any Republican that she may come up against," said Jayne Mazzotti, a member of the Democratic State Central Committee and a central Illinois school administrator.

The former first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state is most admired among superdelegates in the state of her birth because of experience.

"On Day One, she's able to run the country," said Karen Yarbrough, Cook County recorder of deeds.

But they also applaud her ability to weather questions about her use of private email or her responsibility for the deadly 2012 strike on diplomats in Benghazi, Libya. And they point to her electability.

"She is a great mix of warmth and strength," U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos said.

U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez likes Clinton but said, "I can see myself voting for Bernie Sanders." Also uncommitted is John Keller, who is awaiting consensus among his group, the Young Democrats of America.

Despite the strong Republican showings of businessman Donald Trump and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, few Illinois delegates put much stock in them as top GOP rivals for the White House.

Cullerton predicted the toughest challenge would come from "someone like" John Kasich, the Ohio governor.

"To win, Republicans have to win Ohio and Florida so they need someone who can win there," Cullerton said. "That doesn't sound like (Texas senator) Ted Cruz or Donald Trump."

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Associated Press writer Sara Burnett contributed to this report from Chicago.

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Contact AP Political Writer John O'Connor at http://twitter.com/apoconnor . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/john-oconnor