Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid endorses Joe Biden

Reid and Biden together in 2016. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call.

Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid endorsed Joe Biden for president on Monday, just one day before the vital Super Tuesday contests.

Why it matters: The endorsement isn't a huge surprise, as Reid is widely considered a member of the Democratic establishment. However, Reid worked closely with Sen. Elizabeth Warren during the Obama administration to boost consumer protections, and Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign is run by former Reid aide Faiz Shakir.

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• Reid wanted Hillary Clinton to pick Warren as her running mate in 2016 and urged Warren to run for president in 2020, NBC News reports.
• He is also viewed as a kingmaker in his home state of Nevada, whose caucuses Sanders won in sweeping fashion last month.

The big picture: Reid's endorsement comes the same day that Sen. Amy Klobuchar dropped out of the 2020 race to endorse Biden. Moderate Democrats have been increasingly coalescing around Biden in an apparent effort to prevent Sen. Bernie Sanders from securing the nomination.

What they're saying:

"Joe Biden's strength of character and deep experience stand in the starkest contrast to Trump's amorality, corruption and utter incompetence. 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."

Harry Reid said in a statement