Former Sen. Harry Reid endorses Joe Biden's White House bid

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Biden, Sanders battle for first place in delegate-rich North Carolina

Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are essentially tied in North Carolina heading into Super Tuesday; Ellison Barber reports from the campaign trail in Raleigh.

The Democratic establishment is coalescing around Joe Biden’s White House bid, with former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., throwing his support behind the former vice president.

The endorsement by Reid, who despite not having served in the Senate since 2017 remains an influential figure within the Democratic Party, is the latest move by the Democratic Party’s moderate establishment to thwart Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ march toward the nomination.

While Reid’s statement on his endorsement did say that he has “the deepest respect and admiration for Senators Sanders” – along with other candidates – it did take a shot at Sander’s claims of building a strong coalition to take on President Trump in November’s general election.

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“Democrats need a candidate who can assemble the largest, most diverse coalition possible to defeat Trump and lead our country following the trauma of Trump’s presidency,” Reid said. “That candidate is Joe Biden.”

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Reid added: “Biden will be a much-needed stabilizing force following Trump’s disastrous term, offering a positive and progressive alternative to Trump’s dark vision of racism, xenophobia and policies built on cruelty and exclusion. I believe Biden is best able to defeat Donald Trump and enact the policies we all care about.”

The Reid endorsement came quickly after Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota announced she was suspending her campaign and planning on endorsing Biden. Klobuchar had been battling with Biden for the party’s moderate vote and her exit – and endorsement – is seen as another coup for the former vice president.

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Pete Buttigieg, the former South Bend, Ind., mayor and another moderate presidential hopeful, also dropped out of the race Sunday with chatter circulating that he too will endorse Biden.

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The winnowing of the Democratic Party has set up what looks to be a heated battle between Biden and Sanders just a day before polls open in the Super Tuesday primary states.