INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — More than a third of Indiana's Democratic legislators have bucked their party's state leaders to endorse Barack Obama for president.

About half of the 25 pro-Obama legislators attended a Statehouse news conference on Thursday, saying they believed the Illinois senator was the best candidate to unite and inspire the country.

Among those endorsing Obama are House Majority Leader Russ Stilwell of Boonville and House Ways and Means Chairman William Crawford of Indianapolis, and Senators Earline Rogers of Gary and Lindel Hume of Princeton, both members of their party's Senate leadership.

Hillary Rodham Clinton's prominent Indiana supporters include U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, former Gov. Joe Kernan and Indiana House Speaker Patrick Bauer.

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Other Indiana legislators whom the Obama campaign said have endorsed Obama are: Sens. Tim Lanane of Anderson and John Broden of South Bend and Reps. Dennis Avery of Evansville; Jeb Barden, John Bartlett, John Day, Greg Porter and Vanessa Summers of Indianapolis; Charlie Brown and Vernon Smith of Gary; Mara Candelaria Reardon of Munster; Dave Crooks of Washington; Chet Dobis of Merrillville; Ryan Dvorak of South Bend; Dale Grubb of Covington; Phil Hoy of Evansville; Linda Lawson of Hammond; Scott Pelath of Michigan City; Matt Pierce of Bloomington; Scott Reske of Pendleton; and Trent Van Haaften of Mount Vernon.