RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina entered this week with one of the nation's largest blocs of undecided Democratic superdelegates -- a coveted group of 17 long courted by the party's White House hopefuls.

But after Barack Obama's strong win in the state's primary, North Carolina Democrats with an eye on the general election have started to coalesce around the Illinois senator. Of the state's 17 superdelegates, eight have now committed to Obama and three to Hillary Rodham Clinton. Six are still up in the air.

State Party chief Jerry Meek and Cumberland County commissioner Jeanette Council -- both superdelegates -- said they would back Obama. And they each said Hillary Rodham Clinton should think carefully before continuing her bruising primary campaign.

"I think she probably needs to take a hard look at the math," Meek said. "I don't see any way that she's going to pull out the nomination."

Obama, meanwhile, moved to solidify the support of North Carolina's remaining superdelegates, including U.S. Rep. Brad Miller, whose wife, Esther Hall, was not shying away from her candidate.

Hall sat directly behind Obama during his victory speech in Raleigh Tuesday night. Cameras caught her smiling and holding a sign for Obama. Her face was splashed across television screens and the front page of the couple's hometown newspaper, The News & Observer.

The images sent off a flurry of phone calls within Miller's office as staffers tried to find out if the three-term lawmaker had endorsed Obama. But Miller wasn't at the event and remains undecided. While doing interviews in Washington, he shrugged at his wife's support for Obama on display to the nation.

"It's great to work for a guy who doesn't try to tell his wife what to do," Miller spokeswoman LuAnn Canipe said.

Canipe said Miller has no immediate plans to endorse but will meet with Obama on Thursday.

Gov. Mike Easley is among the three superdelegates for Clinton and he reiterated his support for her on Wednesday. She also earned the vote of U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, who had previously pledged his support to the candidate who won his conservative district.

Charlotte Mayor Pro Tem Susan Burgess, a longtime Clinton supporter, said she still believes Clinton would make the best president and would be most electable. Clinton called her Wednesday morning to thank her for the ongoing support.

"She was upbeat," Burgess said. "She assured me that she was in the race for the duration, and I told her I was with her."

The state's Democratic congressional delegation initially backed former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards until he dropped his presidential bid in January. Three of those lawmakers -- Miller, Mike McIntyre and Bob Etheridge -- are still undecided.

Three others -- Statesville attorney David Parker, Employment Security Commission official Muriel Offerman and Buncombe County commissioner Carol Peterson -- have not endorsed. None returned calls seeking comment Wednesday.

Obama won North Carolina by 14 points while Clinton squeaked out a victory in Indiana. He now holds a large lead among delegates.

Council said that while the primary has drawn in new voters and increased excitement in her party, she worries that a lengthy primary battle could hurt Obama's chances against likely Republican nominee John McCain.

"We probably are going to need a time for our candidate to take a breath, pause, do further study, rest and get ready for August and the election in the fall," Council said.