Boston (AP)  -- Senate President Therese Murray and dozens of women leaders in Massachusetts are urging Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean to let primary votes cast in Michigan and Florida be counted.

The group, many of whom support Hillary Rodham Clinton, sent Dean a letter Thursday after meeting him last week in Providence, R.I.

The party has refused to count the two primaries to punish the states for moving their contests ahead of schedule. The states are key to Clinton's campaign.

Supporters say the issue needs to be resolved quickly, since superdelegates are feeling pressured to declare.

The group also said the party must take as strong a position against sexism as it has against racism.