NJ lawmaker flips endorsement to Biden after Booker drops out

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden has picked up the endorsement of a New Jersey congressman who had initially pledged his support to Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

“I am proud to endorse Joe Biden to be president of the United States,” Rep. Tom Malinowski (D) said in a statement Tuesday morning. Malinowski had backed Booker until his home-state senator dropped out of the primary on Monday.

“I enthusiastically supported Cory Booker until his decision to withdraw from the race yesterday, and thank him for running one of the most principled, positive and unifying campaigns I’ve ever seen,” Malinowski added.

The first-term congressman served as the assistant secretary of State for democracy, human rights and labor during the second term of the Obama administration.

On his endorsement of Biden, Malinowski said: “We need a nominee who can calm partisan divisions, unify the country, and, once elected, rebuild our government institutions and leadership in the world.

“Joe Biden will run the campaign we need to win in November; defend the middle class, and restore decency, honesty, and respect for the rule of law to the White House.”