Democratic leaders are urging a quick end to the nomination fight between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama amid fears their protracted campaigns are harming the party.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and party chairman Howard Dean will call for the issue be settled rather than drag on to the August convention.
“By this time next week, it will all be over, give or take a day,” Mr Reid said.
Democratic officials said Ms Pelosi already has begun contacting uncommitted super-delegates urging them to weigh in soon after the primary season ends.
Mr Obama is within 44 delegates of clinching the nomination and leads Mrs Clinton by 200 delegates. He has 1,982, to her 1,782, out of the 2,026 necessary for the nomination.
Mr Obama stands to gain a minimum of roughly 20 delegates in remaining primaries in Puerto Rico, Montana and South Dakota under party rules that distribute them in proportion to the popular vote - even if he loses all three.
Mrs Clinton is now hoping that leaders at a meeting of the party’s rules committee tomorrow will decide to include the votes from Michigan and Florida, whose primaries declared invalid after being held early without permission.
She has threatened to campaign to the convention if she is not satisfied with the results.
PA