Former White House candidate Bernie Sanders has endorsed onetime rival Joe Biden for president, saying it was time to unite in the effort to defeat Republican president Donald Trump in November.
Mr Sanders, the progressive firebrand who last week suspended his presidential campaign, joined Mr Biden in an online campaign event, citing the coronavirus outbreak as a reason for the party to come together.
That made for a stark contrast to 2016, when Mr Sanders waited until the eve of the Democratic National Convention in the summer to support the then-nominee, Hillary Clinton.
Before the pandemic brought the Democratic primary contest to a virtual halt, Mr Biden had built up a commanding delegate edge against Mr Sanders, leading the Vermont senator to declare last week he saw no viable path to the nomination.
Even so, it remained unclear how soon Mr Sanders, who is especially popular with liberal young voters, would rally behind Mr Biden, whose support comes chiefly from the party's older moderates.
"Your endorsement means a great deal," Mr Biden said to Mr Sanders as the two appeared side-by-side on Biden’s campaign website. He called Mr Sanders "the most powerful voice for a fair and more just America".
Even before Mr Sanders' endorsement, Mr Biden’s campaign had begun to reach out to progressive advocacy groups centered around issues such as climate change and racial justice, in a bid to heal the longtime tension between the moderate and progressive camps within the party.
Mr Trump has worked on social media to try and keep Mr Sanders’ supporters away from Mr Biden, suggesting that Mr Sanders had been forced out by the Democratic establishment.
With social distancing in widespread effect, Mr Biden has been forced to move the bulk of his campaign to virtual events, and has watched as the global pandemic relegated the 2020 presidential race to the back burner.
The Sanders endorsement gives him a jolt of energy and attention at time when his campaign could use it.
