INDIANAPOLIS | Competition was fierce Saturday - particularly among the Northwest Indiana delegation - for the 72 slots available for the Democratic National Convention in August.

"I topped the ticket," declared state Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary. "I got more votes than (Gary Mayor Rudy) Clay."

State Sen. Earline Rogers, D-Gary, confirmed that Brown bumped state Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, off the DNC delegate slate put forth by Clay, the Lake County Democratic chairman.

But, Rogers added, Brown's victory was aided by Porter County delegates who supported Hillary Clinton in the May primary but improperly cast ballots for Barack Obama delegates Saturday at the state party convention in Indianapolis. Rogers said region party leaders decided not to challenge the vote.

Clay, Brown and Rogers will be the Obama DNC delegates from Indiana's 1st Congressional District. A full list of the state's 72 pledged delegates wasn't immediately available Saturday evening.

Clinton's narrow victory last month gave her 38 Indiana delegates, compared to 34 for Obama. That doesn't include Indiana's 13 superdelegates.