The math is adding up against Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton as she scrambles to catch up with her opponent, Barack Obama.

But that doesn't mean she's out of the race.

On Friday, Clinton got a little good news from Ohio when U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton, D-Copley Township, officially endorsed her.

Sutton is one of the superdelegates, party members expected to be the deciding force at the Democratic National Convention.

"I have had the opportunity to engage in significant discussions with Sen. Clinton about the concerns and hopes of the people I am so honored to represent,"

Sutton said. "She has demonstrated a keen understanding of the pressing issues, such as the need to create economic opportunity for working families right here in Northeast Ohio."

Sutton said voters in the 13th Congressional District, which she represents, voted in March to support Clinton.

That trend was repeated across the state. Clinton won Ohio with 54 percent of the vote and 75 of the state's 141 delegates.

But with only a handful of states waiting to cast primary votes - with the Pennsylvania primary on Tuesday chief among them - Clinton is trailing by 138 delegates in the race to win her party's nomination.

In a written statement, Clinton said she is pleased to have Sutton's support because she is known as a champion of the middle class.

Tony Giardini, chairman of Lorain Democratic Party, said he's not at all surprised that Sutton is siding with Clinton.

"I think the things Congresswoman Sutton stands for are similar to the things Sen. Clinton stands for," he said. "She's an intelligent, strong woman. It shouldn't surprise anybody that she has support here."

Ohio voters favored Clinton over Obama in March because of her strong stances on labor and health care, and because of the influence Bill Clinton had on Ohio when he was president, Giardini said.

Though he personally favors Obama, Giardini said local Democrats will enthusiastically support whichever candidate gets the party's nomination.

"Ohio is poised and ready for a change. With either candidate, Ohio's going to be very reluctant to vote for a Republican based on what's happened here in the last few years," he said.

Ohio is home to several other superdelegates, including U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Avon, and U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo.

Press aides for both Kaptur and Brown said Friday that neither has endorsed a candidate yet.

By Jason Hawk , The Chronicle-Telegram, April 19, 2008