NewsNational

Actions

Three former rivals endorse Biden for president on Super Tuesday Eve

Posted at 3:15 PM, Mar 02, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-02 22:27:25-05

To say that Vice President Joe Biden has seen momentum in recent days might be an understatement.

After a convincing win on Saturday in South Carolina, Biden picked up endorsements from three of his former Democratic nomination rivals on Monday.

Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who both have withdrawn from the presidential race since Saturday's race in South Carolina, endorsed Joe Biden for president ahead of a big Super Tuesday contest. Biden also picked up the support of former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, who dropped out in late 2019.

Klobuchar and O'Rourke joined Biden on stage at a rally in Dallas. Buttigieg also appeared with Biden earlier in the evening at a gathering of supporters.

The endorsements come a day before Super Tuesday, when 14 states and American Samoa will vote on the remaining Democratic presidential nominees.

Klobuchar dropped out of the race on Monday, one day before Buttigieg. Their withdrawal from the race came after disappointing finishes in South Carolina on Saturday, where Biden claimed a decisive victory.

The former rivals' decisions reflect an urgent push among moderates to consolidate behind Biden as a counter candidate to rival Sen. Bernie Sanders, who describes himself as a democratic socialist.

Throughout the race, all three candidates ran as moderate candidates, distancing themselves from competitors like Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who ran on more progressive platforms.