Clinton campaign officials have told undeclared superdelegates that she will stay in the race until the final primaries and make a strong push for the results of the Michigan and Florida primaries to be recognized officially. If the Democratic National Committee (DNC) agrees to seat the delegates from the two states, it would narrow Obama’s lead in pledged delegates and popular votes significantly.

But uncommitted superdelegates who hear Clinton’s arguments find them unconvincing.

“The Clinton folks are saying, ‘Wait until June 3 so the rest of the states can play out, then we’ll do what we can to seat the delegates from Florida and Michigan,’ ” said Rep. Rick Larsen (Wash.), a neutral Democrat who said he has been contacted by the Clinton campaign. “I think that’s a very complicated case to make,” he said.

Larsen added that he used to agree with the Clinton camp “100 percent” that the nomination should be contested until June 3 but noted that he is “not so sure now.”

He has adopted a different view since Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) beat Clinton by 14 points in North Carolina and lost to her by only two points in Indiana. Since Tuesday’s primaries, pundits and political analysts have declared the race essentially over.

“I’d be OK with going until June 3 if I thought there would be a lot of changes,” said Larsen.

Clinton fell 13 delegates further behind Obama after Tuesday’s contests and now trails Obama by about 170 delegates.

Rep. Tom Allen, an uncommitted Democrat who is running for Senate in Maine, said he agreed with Larsen. He said he would reveal his thoughts in greater detail at a later date.  

There is growing sentiment among undeclared superdelegates that little will change between now and the day after South Dakota and Montana vote.

“I think it’s unlikely to change the outcome,” said Rep. Brad Miller (D), an undeclared superdelegate from North Carolina, when asked whether Clinton should stay in the race until June.

Rep. Joe Courtney, a neutral Democrat from Connecticut, said Clinton’s game plan for winning the nomination was like hoping to hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning with the bases loaded.

“It’s hard to pull off,” he said.

“Everyone is going to be making an evaluation, the candidates and the superdelegates, about whether it makes sense for the campaign to finish until the end,” he said.

However, many Clinton backers in Congress have reaffirmed their support for the former first lady.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who on Wednesday said she planned to speak to the New York senator to find out what her strategy is for the rest of the race, said the two had talked.

“She feels intense support from her people. She is persevering. She is very collected. She is very determined. She is really together,” Feinstein said. “And she’s going to make the decision when the time comes. And she doesn’t feel it’s that time ... Her strategy is to win this, and she is entitled to the opportunity to try. I’m sticking with her.”

Feinstein added that Clinton told her that she would “do nothing to cause the party any difficulty.”