Yvonne Gates

WASHINGTON -- Yvonne Gates, of Las Vegas, said that being a member of the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws nationally televised meeting Saturday was both stressful and exciting.

The meeting, which was held at a Washington hotel, decided whether or not delegates from Florida and Michigan would be seated at the national convention even though both states brazenly defied party rules set by this committee. Clinton won both states and wanted both states to have all their votes counted.

Nevada's seven superdelegates: From top left to bottom right, Nev. Dem. Chair Jill Derby, former Clark County Commissioner Yvonne Gates, Nev. Sen. Minority Leader Dina Titus, Rep. Shelley Berkley, Nev. Dem. Vice-Chair Sam Lieberman, Sen. Harry Reid and state Sen. Steven HorsfordLas Vegas- Nevada Democrats may have taken their first step toward allotting their twenty-five pledged delegates to the Democratic National Convention, but these are not the only Nevadans with a vote in Denver come August.  Nevada is also home to seven so-called “superdelegates,” party leaders who are free to vote for any candidate they choose at the convention.  Three of these superdelegates have endorsed either N.Y. Sen. Hillary Clinton or Ill. Sen. Barack Obama as the Democratic nominee, but the other four have pledged neutrality in the race, pledges that at this relatively late stage in the primaries are unlikely to be broken.

Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) and Nev. Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus (D-Clark 7) have endorsed Clinton and state Sen. Steven Horsford (D-Clark 4) has endorsed Obama.  The other four—Nevada Democratic Chairwoman Jill Derby, 1st Vice-Chairman Sam Lieberman, former Clark County Commissioner Yvonne Gates and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid—have declared neutrality until the party has chosen a nominee.

Click here to watch Berkley and Horsford discuss their candidates-of-choice after the Jan. 15 Las Vegas debate.