WASHINGTON — Rep. Yvette Clarke has something in common with Governor Spitzer: They’re both holding out.

Of the 23 Democratic House members of the state’s congressional delegation, the city’s newest representative is the only one who has not endorsed Senator Clinton’s candidacy for president. “I haven’t crossed that bridge yet,” Ms. Clarke, who took office in January as a representative of Brooklyn’s 11th Congressional District, said in a recent interview. She heaped praise on both Mrs. Clinton and her chief rival, Senator Obama of Illinois, but she said she had not given the 2008 race much thought yet.

“I think he is extraordinary,” Ms. Clarke said of Mr. Obama, saying he brought “a different kind of politics to the race.” She complimented what she said was a strong field of Democratic hopefuls, also singling out Governor Richardson of New Mexico as a promising candidate.

Most Democrat members of the state’s delegation announced their support for Mrs. Clinton before or directly after she launched her campaign on January 20. The former first lady has worked hard to lock up the support of the remaining stragglers, and that effort appears to be paying off. A spokeswoman for Rep. Edolphus Towns of Brooklyn said last week that the congressman was undecided. The next day, Mr. Towns called to clarify. “I’m off the fence,” he told The New York Sun.

Mr. Towns said Mrs. Clinton called him after announcing her bid, but that he chose her over Mr. Obama because Mr. Towns was more familiar with her record from her years representing New York.

Informed that Ms. Clarke was the only Democrat of the state delegation not committed to Mrs. Clinton, a spokeswoman for the congresswoman said she was sticking by her status as undecided.

“No. 1, there’s sort of the issue of state pride, but there’s also pragmatic politics,” a professor of political science at Baruch College, Douglas Muzzio, said of the pressure for New York Democrats to support Mrs. Clinton. Lawmakers who support a candidate early on could gain the most once the candidate takes office.

While it is traditional for congressional representatives to support a “favorite son” — or daughter — candidate from their home state, the candidacy of Mr. Obama, who could be the nation’s first black president, has made the decision tougher for some black lawmakers, particularly those such as Ms. Clarke and Ms. Town, who represent districts with large African-American constituencies.

The dean of the New York delegation, Rep. Charles Rangel of Harlem, did not initially endorse Mrs. Clinton, but he said last week that he would support her even though he had also encouraged Mr. Obama to run.

Rep. Gregory Meeks of Queens, who is black, said it was a “great thing” that Mr. Obama is running but that his decision was not difficult. “I had no problems endorsing” Mrs. Clinton, he said in an interview. “You can have two teams that you like, and you’ve got to pick one team over the other.”

Noting that he is the father of three daughters, Mr. Meeks said he also had a personal connection to Mrs. Clinton’s quest to be the first woman president. “Either way, history is made,” he said.

Like Mr. Towns, Mr. Meeks praised Mr. Obama but said he had worked much more closely with Mrs. Clinton over the years, and he said she did a good job of laying the groundwork for support during her time in the Senate by staying attentive to local concerns and visiting his district.

Other lawmakers said home state politics played a less significant role in their decision. “I would support her no matter where she was from,” Rep. Michael McNulty of Albany said. “I just think Hillary most closely reflects my views, and I also think she has the best chance to win.”

Senator Schumer has come out strongly in favor of Mrs. Clinton, but the state’s other top Democrat, Governor Spitzer, has remained neutral thus far, although he is expected to endorse Mrs. Clinton eventually.

On the Republican side, Mayor Giuliani has secured the backing of three of New York’s six Republican House members: Rep. Vito Fossella of Staten Island, Rep. Peter King of Long Island, and Rep. James Walsh of Syracuse.