Idaho Democratic Party Chairman and presidential superdelegate Keith Roark said Wednesday he still hasn't backed a presidential candidate, but said Sen. Barack Obama's 14-point victory in the North Carolina primary Tuesday helped address his concerns.

Roark, a Hailey-based attorney and party chairman since January, said the North Carolina win showed the Illinois senator could overcome the controversy surrounding Rev. Jeremiah Wright and attacks from his opponent, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. Clinton barely won Indiana's primary.

"I was impressed with Obama's performance last night," said Roark. "That went a long way to settling my concerns and showed he could snap back and take a punch."

The close Democratic race has placed extra attention on the nearly 800 superdelegates, which are separately chosen party and elected officials not bound by primary or caucus results. In the overall nomination race, Obama leds with 1,846.5 delegates, including superdelegates and Clinton had 1,696, the Associated Press reported Wednesday afternoon.

Obama has just 178.5 delegates shy of the 2,025 needed to be the nominee, but won't win enough of the remaining 217 delegates in the final six contests because of the way Democrats apportion them. There are about 265 superdelegates up for grabs.

Roark said that if Obama's lead in popular votes, delegates and number of states remain intact after the final six primaries, he and other superdelegates should support Obama.

"I don't know how the superdelegates could deny him the nomination," he said. "That would be such a disaster the Democratic Party couldn't survive.

Roark said he measures candidates three ways: ability to be president; electability against Republican presumptive nominee John McCain; and strength on the ballot to help Idaho Democratic candidates.

He said he's confident either Clinton or Obama will win November's general election. But he noted that the Clintons - particularly former President Bill Clinton - are not popular in Idaho and the name might hurt the party Hillary makes the ballot.

"She is more electable than (Obama) if she wins more delegates, votes and states," he said, explaining his thought process. He added: "There are weaknesses in his candidacy but she has flaws."

In Idaho, Obama appears to have more support than Clinton. In the February presidential caucus, he won 15 of the 18 delegates. And about 14,000 people turned out for an Obama rally in January.

Technically, Roark's deadline is the party's national convention, to be held Aug. 25 to 28 in Denver. Roark said he'll choose a candidate by June 4 or 5.

Idaho's other superdelegates have backed Obama. They are state vice-chairwoman Jeanne Buell of St. Maries; National Committeeman Grant Burgoyne of Boise; and National Committeewoman Gail Bray of Boise. A fifth superdelegate will be chosen at the state convention in June.

Jared S. Hopkins may be reached at 208-735-3204 or jhopkins@magicvalley.com