Feb. 14 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro hosted a meeting in her Washington home last night to recruit super delegates for Barack Obama. The Connecticut Democrat was preparing for a big turnout.

With Obama reeling off eight straight victories in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, DeLauro and other backers of the Illinois senator say they see a chance to bring more of those delegates into his camp.

``They're going to be looking at the will of the people that they represent,'' said DeLauro.

Some Obama supporters have voiced concern that the super delegates -- party officials and lawmakers who can vote however they want for the nominee -- may tilt the election in favor of Hillary Clinton if neither candidate wins the 2,025 delegates needed for the nomination. Conversations with party officials and an informal survey of the delegates show it's more likely they'll get behind the candidate who wins the most votes.

The 796 super delegates are all politicians, House Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is neutral, said in an interview, and ``they'll be sensitive to the public will.''

Added Ray Buckley, an uncommitted super delegate from New Hampshire and the state party chairman, ``When something breaks, you'll see the natural movement'' toward one candidate.

Clinton, 60, out-organized Obama, 46, in reaching out early to the super delegates. According to an Associated Press tally on Feb. 10, she leads him 243 to 156, although estimates vary widely among various news organizations.

`Long-Time Relationships'

``They've probably been more aggressive,'' said Illinois Representative Jan Schakowsky, who is heading Obama's super- delegate outreach efforts in the House of Representatives. ``They've got Bill Clinton on the phone and calling people who have long-time relationships.''

If Hillary Clinton wins on March 4 in Ohio and Texas, where polls show her leading, and later in Pennsylvania, she would regain the edge, and more super delegates may come her way. If Obama wins one of those states, he'll cement his front-runner status, and more super delegates will break toward him.

``If Obama manages to win one of those big states and come in very close in the others or win two of them, there's going to be a big call in the Democratic Party for Senator Clinton to step aside,'' said Democratic strategist Jenny Backus, who isn't aligned with either campaign.

Super delegates include all Democrats in Congress, governors, members of the Democratic National Committee and party leaders, a category that can encompass ex-presidents. The delegate class was created following the 1980 election, after many core Democratic groups had been excluded from conventions, especially when George McGovern was nominated in 1972.

20% of Total

This year, super delegates will account for close to 20 percent of the overall vote at the Democratic convention. An unofficial estimate by the independent, non-partisan Web site thegreenpapers.com shows Obama ahead of Clinton in delegates by 1,034 to 955, not including super delegates.

Both campaigns have set up war rooms for a full-court press for delegates, with former Senators Tom Daschle and John Kerry leading the list of callers on Obama's side. Former President Clinton is serving as his wife's chief lobbyist.

Some Democratic National Committee officials like Donna Brazile have voiced concern that super delegates may subvert the will of voters if the race is close enough.

There's ``a growing chorus of concern out there'' about the role of super delegates, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said in a conference call yesterday. ``We've won 10 more states than Senator Clinton and we've amassed more votes.''

On Their Own

Super delegates like Ruth Rudy, a former Pennsylvania representative who endorsed Clinton, have stoked those fears. ``Super delegates are people who have their own thoughts and ideas on everything,'' she said. ``I don't think they should necessarily abide by what their state did.''

Clinton's aides echo that opinion.

``Super delegates are supposed to vote their conscience,'' said Mark Penn, Clinton's chief strategist. The campaign's calculations include those delegates, he said. ``We are not making distinctions. We are interested in acquiring the support of delegates. Period.''

Other super delegates are likely to ``keep their powder dry'' until there's a clear favorite, said Mark Siegel, a former Democratic official who helped write the rules for the delegates.

Schakowsky, the Illinois Democrat who acknowledged Clinton has the early advantage in super delegates, said she's not ``wringing my hands'' over it.

``It's at their peril if they put the election in a different direction from the way their voters cast their ballots,'' she said.

To contact the reporters on this story: Heidi Przybyla in Washington, at hprzybyla@bloomberg.net ; Catherine Dodge in Washington, at Cdodge1@bloomberg.net