Harry Reid endorses Clinton

by Jesse Byrnes - 02/24/16 1:12 PM ET

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid has officially endorsed Hillary Clinton for president.

Reid is the highest-ranking Democrat to throw his support behind Clinton. The endorsement comes days after she won his home-state caucuses.

{mosads}”I think the middle class would be better served by Hillary,” Reid said during an interview with CNN published early Wednesday afternoon.

“I think that my work with her over the years has been something that I have looked upon with awe,” Reid continued.

“I also think she’s the woman to be the first president of the United states that’s a female,” he added.

Reid was neutral in the Nevada caucuses, but made a key call to the leader of the Culinary Workers Union that was seen as having helped Clinton win an impressive victory in Saturday’s caucuses.

Voter turnout at Las Vegas’s casinos was impressive in part from the union leader getting his members out to vote, and Clinton roared to a victory in Clark County, which is home to Las Vegas.

Veteran Nevada political journalist Jon Ralston said it was clear that Reid wanted Clinton to win and was worried that Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) might pull off an upset.

“Harry Reid asserted again today … that he really can change the dynamic of an election in this state,” Ralston said on MSNBC shortly after Clinton’s victory speech.

Reid was one of the few remaining senators to endorse in the Democratic race and joins 39 of his colleagues who had already lined up behind the former secretary of State.

Just four Democratic senators have yet to endorse in the race: Sens. Robert Menendez (N.J.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Jon Tester (Mont.) and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.).