Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday, joining a dozen other former 2020 rivals to to throw their support behind the Democratic frontrunner.
“It is clear that our country desperately needs a president with experience, honesty and integrity — that person is Vice President Joe Biden,” Gillibrand said in a statement released by Biden’s campaign. “Not only does Joe have the experience to lead our country, but he has the empathy and character to go with it. Joe will fight for policies that reward work, such as the FAMILY Act, and will be a champion for women and families, workers, and young people.
I am proud to endorse Joe and I look forward to working with him to take back the White House, and to elect Democrats up and down the ballot.”
I’m proud to endorse @JoeBiden today. Our country needs a president who will provide steady, honest leadership, and I believe Joe has the right experience, empathy, and character to lead. I’m excited to help him defeat Donald Trump in November.
— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) March 19, 2020
Shortly before the statement was release, Gillibrand told The Washington Post that Biden is the “absolute best candidate to defeat President Trump and he has the skills to lead the country through the current coronavirus pandemic.
“He’s the absolute best candidate to defeat President Trump, and I think he is the person who has gained the trust and the respect of the American people in a way that no one else has,” Gillibrand said in an interview with The Washington Post. “His ability to empathize and absorb the fears of the country right now is essential. I think we need a healer… I do truly believe he is the man for this moment that we’re in here.”
The Biden campaign press release said that with Gillibrand’s endorsement, 15 US senators and 13 former Democratic presidential candidates have endorsed him for president.
Gillibrand was not the only rival to endorse Biden on Thursday. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard announced earlier that she was ending her presidential run and endorsing the former Vice President.
“So today, I’m suspending my presidential campaign, and offering my full support to Vice President Joe Biden in his quest to bring our country together,” Gabbard said in a video statement posted on Twitter.
Biden leads Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) by about 300 delegates. The former Vice President path to the Democratic nomination was all but secured on Tuesday after sweeping the three states — Florida, Illinois and Arizona primaries.
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