Rep. James E. Clyburn, one of the top black leaders in Congress and most prominent Democrats in South Carolina, endorsed Hillary Clinton for president on Friday.
“Campaigns are and should be about the future,” Clyburn said in a televised address in Columbia, South Carolina. “And I believe that the future of the Democratic party and the United States of America will be best served with the experiences and know-how of Hillary Clinton as our 45th president.”
As recently as late January, the influential congressman declined to endorse a candidate, telling the New York Times he planned to remain neutral ahead of his state’s Feb. 27 primary.
On Friday, however, Clyburn said he felt compelled to “get engaged” after extensive discussions with South Carolina voters and his loved ones. He claimed he had always favored Clinton but was wary of unduly influencing voters’ choices.
“My head and my heart are in the same place,” Clyburn said. “A few people speculated that my head was with one candidate and my heart with the other. That was not the case at all. My heart has always been with Hillary Clinton.”
The South Carolina representative cited the former secretary of state’s record on fighting income inequality, advocating for healthcare, and restoring voting rights as the impetus for his decision.
Now that the campaign has moved from the ethnically homogenous states of Iowa and New Hampshire to more diverse states like South Carolina and Nevada, candidates from both parties are vying to secure the support of prominent leaders of color.
Clinton has secured a number of key endorsements in South Carolina ahead of the state’s primary, including Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) and the PAC for the Congressional Black Caucus.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has also received support from prominent black leaders including Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) and former NAACP chairman Ben Jealous.
