EASTERN IOWA -- A group of 800 people could decide who gets the democratic nomination for president. Eleven of those people live in Iowa.

They're called superdelegates.

This year, they might have more power than anyone every intended.

The race between Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama is so close, a select group of superdelegates could decide the winner.

“When I decided in mid-December to support Barack Obama, I think it's safe to say that almost no one in America knew what a superdelegate was," Rep. Dave Loebsack (D) Iowa said.

Now, the superdelegate system is under scrutiny. That's because the candidate who wins the popular vote might not match up with the one who earns the nomination.

If it's tight enough, superdelegates could decide who will represent the Democratic Party.

"I would like to see us in the future change the system. I'm not sure that we have a great need for superdelegates. I want to have a democratic party with a small d," Loebsack said.

Congressman Bruce Braley agrees the superdelegate system might not make sense.

"I think that's something we should take a look at. It's certainly something I support revisiting," Braley said.

Both Obama and Clinton's supporters have tried to court Braley during the past few months.

As the critical Texas primary approaches, pressure to choose between the two is building.

"It's something I go back and forth on every day. It gets very burdensome to deal with all these phone calls and personal contacts. So, part of me is leaning toward getting it over with. Another part is saying, 'Take your time. There is no rush,’" Braley said.

Of course, if either Obama or Clinton drop out of the race before the national convention, the superdelegates' say will be nothing more than symbolic.

The superdelegate system was created to encourage state party leaders to attend and participate at the national convention.

Superdelegates can change whom they support at any time.

Here's where eleven of Iowa's superdelegates stand as of Sunday:

Three support Hillary Clinton - Leonard Boswell, Mike Gronstal and Sandy Opstvedt.

Barack Obama has four - Chet Culver, Michael Fitzgerald, Dave Loebsack and Sarah Swisher.

The remaining four are still undecided - Bruce Braley, Scott Brennan, Tom Harkin and Richard Machacek.

In the next few months, the Iowa Democratic Party will also choose a twelfth delegate to represent our state at the convention.