Thankfully, the trend continues…

AUGUSTA, Maine — In a banner day in New England for advocates of gay marriage, Maine legalized the practice Wednesday, and the New Hampshire Legislature voted to do the same.

Maine Gov. John Baldacci, a Democrat, signed LD 1020 shortly after the legislation passed the Senate with a 21-13 vote — a margin not large enough to override a veto.

“In the past, I opposed gay marriage while supporting the idea of civil unions,” Baldacci said in a statement read in his office. “I have come to believe that this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law, and that a civil union is not equal to civil marriage.”

As the article goes on to point out, New Hampshire is likely the next state to drop, and legislation is being drafted in New Jersey and New York. So the Northeast is definitely leading this charge.

Any guesses as to which state will be next after the ones I just mentioned?

New Hampshire was expected, but still a swing state in the grand scheme of things.

The others were not surprises in the least.

A total of 56 electoral votes.

Representative Tom Allen had this to say about his endorsement…

“It is time to bring a graceful end to the primary campaign,” Allen said in a statement. “We now need to unify the Democratic Party and focus on electing Sen. Obama and a working majority in the United States Senate.”

Agreed.

By the way, looks like an Idaho superdelegate will be announcing at noon. One would think this is going to Obama.

Post-Pennsylvania Delegate Pickups:
Obama – 47
Clinton – 13.5

Total Superdelegates:
Obama – 278
Clinton – 272.5

Total post-PA pickups after the jump…

Obama superdelegate pickups:
Tom Allen (ME), Representative – May 12, 2008
Crystal Strait (CA), DNC – May 11, 2008
Harry Mitchell (AZ), Representative – May 10, 2008
Dave Regan (OH), Add-On – May 10, 2008
Kevin Rodriguez (VI), DNC – May 10, 2008
Carol Burke (VI), DNC – May 10, 2008
Kristi Cumming (UT), Add-On – May 10, 2008
Joe Johnson (VA), DNC – May 9, 2008
Vernon Watkins (CA), DNC – May 9, 2008
Wilber Lee Jeffcoat (SC), DNC Vice Chairman – May 9, 2008
Laurie Weahkee (NM), DNC – May 9, 2008
Mazie Hirono (HI), Representative – May 9, 2008
Ed Espinoza (CA), DNC – May 9, 2008
John Gage (MD), DNC – May 9, 2008
Peter DeFazio (OR), Representative – May 9, 2008
Donald Payne (NJ), Representative – May 9, 2008
Rick Larsen (WA), Representative – May 8, 2008
Brad Miller (NC), Representative – May 8, 2008
Jennifer McClellan (VA), DNC – May 7, 2008
Inola Henry (CA), DNC – May 7, 2008
Jerry Meek (NC), Dem Chairman – May 7, 2008
Jeanette Council (NC), DNC – May 7, 2008
Lauren Dugas Glover (MD), DNC Vice Chairman – May 5, 2008
Michael Cryor (MD), DNC Chairman – May 5, 2008
Kalyn Free (OK), DNC – May 5, 2008
Jaime Paulino (Guam), DNC & Territory Vice Chair – May 4, 2008
Parris Glendening (MD), Governor – May 3, 2008
Inez Tenenbaum (SC), DNC – May 3, 2008
Brian Colón (TX), DNC – May 3, 2008
Paul G. Kirk, Jr. (MA), DNC – May 2, 2008
John Patrick (TX), DNC – May 1, 2008
Barbara Flynn Currie (IL), DNC – May 1, 2008
Todd Stroger (IL), DNC – May 1, 2008
Richard M. Daley (IL), DNC – May 1, 2008
Joe Andrew (IN), DNC – May 1, 2008
Bruce Braley (IA), Representative – Apr 30, 2008
Lois Capps (CA), Representative – Apr 30, 2008
Baron Hill (IN), Representative – Apr 30, 2008
Ben Chandler (KY), Representative – Apr 29, 2008
Richard Machacek (IA), DNC – Apr 29, 2008
Jeff Bingaman (NM), Senator – Apr 28, 2008
Charlene Fernandez (AZ), DNC & State Vice Chair – Apr 26, 2008
David Wu (OR), Representative – Apr 24, 2008
Audra Ostergard (NE), DNC & State Vice Chair – Apr 23, 2008
Brad Henry (OK), Governor – Apr 23, 2008

Clinton superdelegate pickups:
Arthur Powell (MA), Add-On – May 10, 2008
Ciro Rodriguez (TX), Representative – May 9, 2008
Chris Carney (PA), Representative – May 9, 2008
Brad Ellsworth (IN), Representative – May 7, 2008
Heath Shuler (NC), Representative – May 7, 2008
Theresa Morelli (Dems Abroad), DNC May 5, 2008
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (MD), Lt. Governor – May 3, 2008
Jaime A. Gonzalez Jr. (TX), DNC – May 2, 2008
Andrew Cuomo (NY), DNC – May 1, 2008
Thomas DiNapoli (NY), DNC – May 1, 2008
C. Virginia Field (NY), DNC – May 1, 2008
Carmen Arroyo (NY), DNC – May 1, 2008
John Olsen (CT), DNC – May 1, 2008
Luisette Cabanas (PR), DNC & Territory Vice Chair – Apr 30, 2008
William George (PA), DNC – Apr 30, 2008
Ike Skelton (MO), Representative, Apr 29, 2008
Mike Easley (NC), Governor – Apr 28, 2008
Kathy Sullivan (NH), Add-On – Apr 26, 2008
John Tanner (TN), Representative – Apr 23, 2008

Clinton superdelegate losses:
Kevin Rodriguez (VI), DNC – May 10, 2008
Donald Payne (NJ), Representative – May 9, 2008
Jennifer McClellan (VA), DNC – May 7, 2008
Arlene P. Bordallo (Guam), DNC & Former Territory Vice Chair- May 4, 2008
Joe Andrew (IN), DNC – May 1, 2008

First things first, with 70% counted Obama leads Hill 57% to 42%. Not even close.

And so, with the ouster of Hillary’s campaign manager today and another disproportionately big loss today, the Clinton camp can’t be feeling too chipper.

From TPM:

CNN and MSNBC have just called Maine for Obama, giving him another sizable victory in a state that was supposed to act as a check on his momentum after yesterday’s trio of landslide wins. Instead, tonight’s outcome gave him another burst of forward motion in a month that’s shaping up as a very dark one indeed for Hillary.

With 70% reporting, Obama had 58% to Hillary’s 41%. The surprisingly big victory for Obama came on the same day as the Hillary campaign signaled a recognition of its travails by announcing a shuffling of their inner circle, replacing campaign manager and longtime loyalist Patti Solis Doyle with longtime Hillary confidant Maggie Williams.

Obama’s victory effectively left Hillary advisers grappling with the possibility that the worst case scenario that they’d been anticipating for some time could come true: The prospect of no victories for the rest of February. This coming Tuesday, Obama could very well sweep the Potomac Primary — Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.

This is what you get when you lose focus of all 50 states…the other 40 small ones came back and smack you around. And you’d think that Hillary would know this all too well since Bill won in places that Democrats traditionally don’t win. That’s how he won the primaries and general election in ’92 and the general in ’96.

It’s good to see a Democrat finally realize that if they’re going to get elected, they’re going to be the President of the United States, not just the blue states.

UPDATE:
The gap has grown.

With 95% reporting, Obama has 59% to Clinton’s 40%.

Just remember. 24 delegates at stake. Very important to both candidates, especially with Barack taking everything yesterday. He’s suppose to have a built-in advantage because he owns the caucuses so far, except for Nevada, so we’ll see how it shakes out.

More as it develops.

UPDATE:
Looks like the weather could be a factor today…

Democrats had expected heavy participation at the caucuses, but up to 8 inches of snow were expected across much of the state with Arctic cold when many of the gatherings were scheduled. Even so, the Democrats started Sunday with more than 4,000 absentee ballots in hand.

Yeah, but I’m sure they’re used to bad weather up there. Expect record turnouts.

UPDATE 2:
Looks like one of the papers up there didn’t endorse, but gave Barack high marks…

While not an outright endorsement, the Bangor Daily News today said that Barack Obama is better positioned to govern in the White House than Hillary Clinton.

The major newspaper in Maine, where Democrats caucus on Sunday with 24 precious delegates at stake, said while Clinton has touted her experience, it is “mostly peripheral to the actual business of governing.”

“Sen. Obama does not equivocate about his lack of governmental experience, and instead argues that because of it he is idealistic and not jaded about what can be achieved by government. Experience in government is important, but so is the ability to govern across party lines,” the editorial said.

Hmm, wonder why they didn’t endorse somebody.

UPDATE 3:
Hill has support in the state…

Maine has been bombarded with news about Clinton’s victory in New Hampshire, and the “Baldacci Machine” — Gov. John Baldacci — is in her corner.

As Massachusetts and Washington showed us, Governors can be much more important than Senators. Hillary had both Senators from Washington, but Barack won with the Governor. Barack had Kerry and Kennedy in Mass, and we know what happened there.

Long story short, this isn’t an automatic win for Obama.

They’re all happening this weekend. Obama has visited all of these primary or caucus locales. Hillary has visited two. There are 161 delegates at stake.

What will happen? Here are some guesses…

Washington primary, 78 delegates:

Lay of the land: Obama is thought to have an advantage in the caucuses, which are dominated by party activists, especially in liberal Seattle. However, Washington has a strong history of electing women.

Both senators from the state are women and have endorsed Clinton. Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire has not yet made her pick but said she would before the caucuses. (Justin’s note: Gregoire has since endorsed Obama)

Louisiana primary, 56 delegates:

Lay of the land: A heavy turnout by black voters would benefit Obama. The state is close to one-third black and has only a small population of Hispanics, a group that has favored Clinton.

Nebraska caucuses, 24 delegates:

Lay of the land: The Clinton campaign claimed a strong grass-roots organization. Obama has been endorsed by state party leaders and lawmakers as well as by Sen. Ben Nelson, the only Democratic member of the state’s congressional delegation.

Maine caucuses, 24 delegates:

Lay of the land: Gov. John Baldacci is backing Clinton, and led several dozen state lawmakers in a rally for her Thursday. Obama swept up $400,000 in a visit to Portland in September, in one demonstration of his drawing power in the state, said Maine House Speaker Glenn Cummings, who backs him.

Virgin Islands caucuses, 3 delegates:

Lay of the land: In November, Obama attracted more than 100 supporters to a one-hour reception in St. Thomas that cost up to $2,300 to attend.

Conclusion: most think Obama has the advantage this weekend since Hillary hasn’t been too aggressive in these states.

I guess we’ll see.