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Harry Reid Makes It Official, Backs Hillary Clinton

The Silver State Democrat had officially been on the sidelines in the run-up to Saturday's Nevada caucuses
Image: Senate Legislators Speak To The Media After Their Weekly Policy Luncheons
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) listens to questions during a news conference after a meeting with Senate Democrats, on Capitol Hill, July 28, 2015 in Washington, DC.Drew Angerer / Getty Images

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid is endorsing Hillary Clinton just days after the former secretary of state won the Democratic caucuses in his home state of Nevada.

Reid, the highest-ranking Democratic elected official to endorse so far in the race, remained on the sidelines before the Nevada contest but was widely believed to be in Clinton’s camp rather than that of fellow senator Bernie Sanders.

Immediately after Clinton’s win, Reid signaled that he would likely back a candidate soon. He made it official Wednesday in an interview with CNN, saying that “the middle class would be better served by Hillary”

“"I think that my work with her over the years has been something that I have looked upon with awe. She was the first lady. She started the trend toward looking to do something about health care. She understood the issue well, she was the front on the health care during that administration,” he added.

In a written statement, Reid also said: "Hillary Clinton has spent decades fighting for middle class Americans and standing up for our nation’s values at home and abroad. She is the right person to be the first woman President of the United States, and she is the best person to lead our country. That is why I’m endorsing her."

Reid is a superdelegate, which means that Clinton’s advantage over Bernie Sanders in the total delegate race will tick up by one as a result of Reid’s backing.