HAGATNA, Guam — Guam is contributing another superdelegate vote toward Barack Obama's drive to win the Democratic presidential nomination.

Guam Sen. Ben Pangelinan has announced his support for Obama, bringing the Illinois senator within 45 votes of clinching the nomination over Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Pangelinan said Obama will help Guam because he supports World War II reparations and is willing to listen to the U.S. territory's political issues.

"While both Democratic candidates will be good for America and good for Guam, Sen. Obama is my choice," he said. "I have come to trust in Sen. Obama's commitment to turning the promises on the issues that are important to the people of Guam into progress for the people of Guam."

Pangelinan is the new Democratic national committeeman from the island who was appointed by the Guam party earlier this month. Pangelinan had remained undecided until Tuesday.

He replaced Robert Underwood, also an Obama supporter who resigned the post after he was hired as president of the University of Guam.

Both political parties include U.S. territories in the nominating process, but territorial citizens cannot vote in the general election.

Obama has 1,981 delegates — 45 shy of the 2,026 necessary to clinch the nomination. Clinton has 1,779 delegates.

In all, Guam Democrats have allotted five votes for Obama and four for Clinton.

The Guam delegates will travel to the Democratic Party convention in Denver in August to cast their votes, but the nomination may be decided before then.

Puerto Rico holds its Democratic primary Sunday, and Montana and South Dakota hold theirs Tuesday.