The Congressional Black Caucus strongly opposes calls to abolish superdelegates. [View all]

[pnwmom]

and to open all primaries to non-Democrats.

African Americans and other minorities are underrepresented in Congress, and the superdelegate system -- although it has never changed the outcome of a primary -- allows members of minority groups to have a larger influence on the process than they would otherwise have.

These articles are from 2016 but the CBC continues to support the existence of superdelegates, for the same reasons as before.

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/dem-primaries/284065-congressional-black-caucus-keep-superdelegate-system-in-place

"The Democratic Members of the Congressional Black Caucus recently voted unanimously to oppose any suggestion or idea to eliminate the category of Unpledged Delegate to the Democratic National Convention (aka Super Delegates) and the creation of uniform open primaries in all states," says the letter.

It was sent to both Democratic presidential campaigns, as well as to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

“We want to participate as delegates and that's why this superdelegates system was created in the beginning, so members would not have to run against their own constituents,” said Chairman G.K Butterfield.

https://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/bernie-sanders-black-caucus-superdelegates-224502

"The superdelegate system is not perfect but it has worked for us quite well over the years and frankly the superdelegates have never needed to cast any superdelegate votes to alter what the voters did during the primary elections," said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. "Never. That's not the case this year either. The concern many of us have, of course, is that our numbers would shrink in terms of having influence over and involvement with what happens at the convention."

Cleaver added that the CBC would not be swayed on the superdelegate issue.

"The black caucus is immovable on this subject because our number one concern is going to be an always be the highest level of minority participation as possible at the convention," Cleaver said. "You're going to see the same thing with the Hispanic Congressional Caucus. "