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OKLAHOMA CITY — Saying his previous comments were “misunderstood,” Rep. Dan Boren has issued another statement on his position as a Democratic superdelegate as it pertains to Barack Obama.

“Earlier statements I made about the presidential race have been misunderstood,” Boren, D-Okla., said in a news release.

“I thought I was emphasizing I may not agree with Senator Obama on some issues. I want to make it clear I will vote for our designated nominee at the Democratic Convention and in November,” the representative said.

Boren stated last week that he could not endorse Obama, the presumed Democratic nominee, pointing to the “liberal” record of the Illinois senator. He also noted that Hillary Rodham Clinton got 66 percent of the vote in his 2nd Congressional District. Clinton got 55 percent to Obama’s 31 percent statewide in the February primary election.

Despite not endorsing Obama, Boren said the presumed Democratic nominee “clearly wants to help middle income people like those in my district struggling to make ends meet.”

“He also wants to help veterans returning from Iraq. Our country clearly needs to move in a new direction,” Boren said.

Jeremy Hendricks, manager of Boren’s re-election campaign, said nothing has changed since Boren’s comments last week.

He said the congressman was “disappointed” in some news reports about his position and wanted to “make it clear to Democrats that he is still supporting our nominee.

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OKLAHOMA CITY — Democratic Rep. Dan Boren of Oklahoma said Tuesday Barack Obama is “the most liberal senator” in Congress and he has no intention of endorsing him for the White House.

However, Boren will vote for Obama at the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August and will vote Democratic on Nov. 4.

“I think this is an important time for our country,” Boren said in a telephone interview. “We’re facing a terrible economic downturn. We have high gasoline prices. We have problems in our foreign policy. That’s why I think it’s important.”

Boren, the lone Democrat in Oklahoma’s congressional delegation, said that while Obama has talked about working with Republicans, “unfortunately, his record does not reflect working in a bipartisan fashion.”

Boren, a self-described centrist, is seeking a third term this year in a mostly rural district that stretches across eastern Oklahoma.

“We’re much more conservative,” Boren said of district. “I’ve got to reflect my district. No one means more to me than the people who elected me. I have to listen them.” He called Obama “the most liberal senator in the U.S. Senate.”

Hillary Rodham Clinton carried Boren’s district with 66 percent of the vote in the state’s presidential primary in February.

Boren said his endorsement became a moot point when Clinton suspended her campaign, making Obama the presumed nominee. But he said it will be a historic moment for the nation when the party nominates Obama, who would be the first black president if elected.

“I celebrate it,” Boren said. “It’s a testament to the Democratic Party.”

In April, Boren’s father, former governor, one-time senator and current University of Oklahoma President David Boren, announced his support for Obama.

Jen Psaki, a spokeswoman for Obama, said the congressman had “his facts wrong.” She said Obama, as a member of the Illinois Senate, worked with Republicans to provide health care for people who didn’t have it and, in Washington, has worked with Boren’s Republican colleague, Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, to make government more accountable and open.

“Senator Obama appreciates the support of Dan Boren’s father,” Psaki said.

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OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry endorsed Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination Wednesday, calling him an inspirational leader who can unite the country.

“I believe Senator Obama is uniquely positioned to unite our nation and move beyond the divisiveness and partisan skirmishes that too often characterize politics as usual in Washington,” Henry said early Wednesday in a statement released by the Obama press office in Chicago.

The endorsement one day after the Pennsylvania primary gave Obama the official support of three of the state’s 10 superdelegates, while Clinton has the backing of one superdelegate. The rest are uncommitted.

Henry, a moderate Democrat in a Republican-trending state, said he had worked hard to build a consensus across party lines on such issues as education, job creation and health care and “that is why I am so enthusiastic about Barack Obama’s candidacy.”

“Senator Obama understands that the serious concerns facing average Americans must transcend partisan games if we are to rise to the challenges of today and tomorrow. He is a strong, committed and inspirational leader, ideally suited to bring together Democrats, independents and Republicans,” Henry said.

Obama said he was proud of Henry’s support “as we continue to build our grass-roots movement for change.” He said Henry had “achieved real results” as a consensus builder himself in Oklahoma.

“We’re fortunate to have Governor Henry’s backing, and I look forward to working with him in the months ahead to bring about real change not just for Oklahomans, but all Americans,” Obama said.

Henry became the first major Democratic elected official from Oklahoma to endorse Obama. The state’s only Democratic congressman, Rep. Dan Boren, remains uncommitted as a superdelegate, although his father, David Boren, has endorsed the Illinois senator. David Boren is a former governor and senator.

The 44-year-old governor’s endorsement came despite Obama getting only 31 percent of the Democratic primary vote in Oklahoma’s Democratic primary on Feb. 5 against Hillary Rodham Clinton, who got 55 percent.

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REPUBLICANS

John McCain: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma

Mitt Romney: Alaska, Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Utah

Mike Huckabee: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, West Virginia

DEMOCRATS

Hillary Clinton: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee

Barack Obama: Alaska, Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Utah

STATE

Alabama: Barack Obama, Mike Huckabee

Alaska: Barack Obama, Mitt Romney

Arizona: Hillary Clinton, John McCain

Arkansas: Hillary Clinton, Mike Huckabee

California: Hillary Clinton, John McCain

Colorado: Barack Obama, Mitt Romney

Connecticut: Barack Obama, John McCain

Delaware: Barack Obama, John McCain

Georgia: Barack Obama, Mike Huckabee

Idaho (D): Barack Obama

Illinois: Barack Obama, John McCain

Kansas (D): Barack Obama

Massachusetts: Hillary Clinton, Mitt Romney

Minnesota: Barack Obama, Mitt Romney

Missouri: Barack Obama, John McCain

Montana (R): Mitt Romney

New Jersey: Hillary Clinton, John McCain

New Mexico: TBD

New York: Hillary Clinton, John McCain

North Dakota: Barack Obama, Mitt Romney

Oklahoma: Hillary Clinton, John McCain

Tennessee: Hillary Clinton, Mike Huckabee

Utah: Barack Obama, Mitt Romney

West Virginia (R): Mike Huckabee

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Hillary Clinton captured a win in the Democratic presidential primary in Oklahoma Tuesday, while John McCain defeated Republican rivals in a close fight.

FOX News projected Clinton as the winner with a wide margin. Clinton’s campaign touted its grassroots effort as the key to winning support from the Sooner State, said Oklahoma campaign chairman Mike Turpen.Obama chose not to campaign in Oklahoma in the week leading up to Tuesday’s election.

McCain led the race among moderate voters while Mike Huckabee picked up support from conservative voters, according to exit polls.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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OKLAHOMA CITY — Voters went to the polls on Tuesday to decide competitive Republican and Democratic primaries in Oklahoma, one of two dozen states holding “Super Tuesday” contests that will do much to determine party nominees for president.

Polls in the state opened at 7 a.m. and will remain open until 7 p.m.

Among Democrats, a recent poll showed Hillary Rodham Clinton was the front-runner in Oklahoma, but it’s unclear what affect John Edwards’ decision to drop out will have on the race, which now appears to be a two-way contest between Clinton and Barack Obama.

Edwards visited the state several times and finished a close second to retired Gen. Wesley Clark in the 2004 Democratic primary.

On the Republican side, polls show John McCain leading Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney, who visited Oklahoma City on Monday, in the state.

The state Election Board had received no reports of voting difficulties within the first 90 minutes after the polls opened.

“I haven’t heard of a single problem, so I think it’s running just fine,” state Election Board Secretary Michael Clingman said.

While registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in Oklahoma, the conservative state has not supported a Democrat for president in a general election since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. The state has approximately 1 million registered Democrats and 800,000 Republicans.

Clingman expected strong turnout — perhaps over 30 percent in each party — but said it was too early to gauge turnout statewide.

“I don’t see why both sides shouldn’t set a record, just given what the national candidates are,” Clingman said.

A thunderstorm moved through Oklahoma City shortly before the polls opened, and light rain was falling when the first votes were cast. The rain was expected to continue through much of the day across the state, and snow was possible in some parts of Oklahoma.

“I don’t think that’s going to be a real problem,” Clingman said. “Given the fact they were talking about snow, I think we saw a little bit more activity (Monday).”

To set a record, Clingman said the primary would have to draw more than the 633,850 voters who turned out in 1992 when Bill Clinton was among several candidates on the Democratic ticket and the Republican candidates included George H.W. Bush, David Duke and Pat Buchanan.

In 2000, George Bush had virtually secured the nomination by the time Oklahoma held its presidential primary election. With Bush as an incumbent in 2004, Republican turnout was just around 11 percent, while about 30 percent of Democrats voted. About 368,000 total votes were cast in that year’s primary.

Oklahoma moved its primary election in 2004 to the first Tuesday in February, which Clingman said has helped generate more interest among voters since candidates are still jostling for position.

“I think if our election was a couple weeks from now, it might drop turnout big-time,” Clingman said.

Clingman said he didn’t know how many people had participated in early and absentee voting, as those ballots wouldn’t be counted until after the polls closed.