Chalk up another Nebraska delegate for Sen. Barack Obama.

As national Democratic heavyweights hit the phones in a behind-the-scenes battle for every single “superdelegate” vote, Kathleen Fahey of Omaha confirmed Monday she’s decided to support Obama.

Fahey, Nebraska’s Democratic national committeewoman, holds one of the state’s six superdelegate votes at the party’s national convention.

Four of those now are committed to Obama in his struggle with Sen. Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination.

The two remaining uncommitted Nebraska superdelegates are under increasing pressure to choose between two candidates locked in an incredibly tight delegate race.

Audra Ostergard of Lincoln, the state party’s first associate chairwoman, recently fielded calls from Clinton and Michelle Obama, the senator’s wife.

Democratic State Chairman Steve Achelpohl of Omaha spent nearly a half-hour on the phone Monday with David Plouffe, Obama’s campaign manager, who called seeking Achelpohl’s support.

“I am truly undecided,” Achelpohl said.

“Hillary is such a lightning rod,” he said, “and I know she would dampen turnout in our down-ballot races in Nebraska.

“I know Obama has greater appeal to young people (and) I am influenced by the fact that Nebraska went so heavily for Obama” Saturday in the party’s presidential caucuses.

But, Achelpohl said, “I told Plouffe my question is electability. Period, that’s it. Democrats have got to reclaim the White House.”

Achelpohl said he queried Plouffe in particular about Obama’s apparent difficulty attracting Hispanic votes, which could be critical in Democratic firewall states like Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Colorado this November.

Plouffe said Obama is beginning to demonstrate more Hispanic support, Achelpohl said.

Ostergard said she is “waiting for an answer” to key questions she submitted to one of the candidates before she commits.

“This is all a little stressful,” she said. “I want to give both of them consideration and hear them out. I want to be respectful.”

Fahey said she actually decided before the Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses last week she would support Obama.

“I think he’s the one who could come up with something different in terms of being able to handle the nation’s problems,” Fahey said.

“It was a difficult decision because if there is any woman so qualified to be a great president, it would be Hillary,” she said.

“But you either love her or you hate her, and I don’t think she could get elected in November.”

Superdelegates who previously committed to Obama are Sen. Ben Nelson, National Committeeman Vince Powers of Lincoln, and Frank LaMere of South Sioux City, who represents Natives as an at-large member of the Democratic national committee.

Saturday’s overwhelming victory by Obama handed him 16 of the 24 Nebraska delegate votes at stake in the caucuses.

Obama now has 20 of Nebraska’s 31 votes at the national nominating convention in Denver locked up, although superdelegates are not formally bound by their commitments.

Eight delegate slots are committed to Clinton as a result of the caucus vote.

Under party rules, the Democratic state convention will select one statewide delegate who is unpledged.

Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or at dwalton@journalstar.com.