PORTLAND (AP) — Gail Rasmussen has become Oregon’s third Democratic superdelegate in two days to come out in support of Barack Obama.

Obama beat Hillary Rodham Clinton by 18 percentage points in last week’s Oregon primary, and the Democratic National Committee member cited that win in explaining why she will vote for the Illinois senator at the party’s national convention in Denver this summer.

The decision announced early today gives Obama a 7-2 edge over Clinton among Oregon superdelegates, with three yet to declare. A day before Rasmussen threw her support to Obama, state party Chairwoman Meredith Wood Smith and Democratic National Committeeman Wayne Kinney said they would back him.

Nationally, Obama is fewer than 45 delegates away from the 2,026 needed to capture the party’s nomination. With only three primaries left, it looks like the superdelegates — elected and party officials whose picks are not bound by what voters in their home states decided — might push Obama over the threshold.

Others Oregon superdelegates who plan to vote for Obama include U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer, David Wu and Peter DeFazio, along with Democratic National Committeewoman Jenny Greenleaf.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Rep. Darlene Hooley have endorsed Clinton.

Those who have remained mum about their choice include U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, Secretary of State Bill Bradbury and state party Vice Chairman Frank Dixon.

Wyden told KDRV-TV in Medford on Wednesday that he expects Obama to wrap up the presidential nomination shortly after Montana and South Dakota hold their last-in-the-nation primaries June 3.

But Wyden, whose chief of staff ran Clinton’s campaign in the state, said he prefers to stay neutral for now.

Obama won 31 of Oregon’s pledged delegates in the state’s May 20 primary, while Clinton won 21. Those delegates are apportioned according to the election results.

Rasmussen, the vice president of the Oregon Education Association, said she will cast her vote for Obama “in honor of the support” he won from the state’s voters.