New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has endorsed Democratic Senator Barack Obama for president.

Associated Press

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL)

Nagin's spokeswoman, Ceeon Quiett, says the mayor spoke recently to Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton. She says he talked about the ongoing recovery needs following Hurricane Katrina, concerns about government response after a disaster and the need to address infrastructure issues nationwide.

She says Nagin based his decision on what he believed was best for the recovery effort. She did not know what either candidate told him to influence his decision.

Nagin is one of Louisiana's superdelegates.

The positions of such party leaders nationwide are important as the race between Obama and Clinton wears on and primary voters increasingly become entrenched behind their candidate.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)