South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn endorses Hillary Clinton
A little more than a week before South Carolina's primary, Hillary Clinton picked up the endorsement of the most influential Democrat in the state: Rep. Jim Clyburn.
Clyburn had previously said that his "heart and head are in different places right now," but the long-time congressman said he had no doubts on Friday.
“My heart has always been with Hillary Clinton, but my head had me in a neutral corner," he said at a news conference in Columbia. He added that he'd talked it over with his wife and family before deciding to make his choice clear.
“I have decided to terminate my neutrality and get engaged," he said.
Clyburn, first elected in 1992 and a member of the House Democratic leadership, said he'd had the opportunity to work with Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, describing them both as "pleasant" and "enjoyable."
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But, he added: “Campaigns are and should be about the future. And I believe the future of the Democratic Party and the United States of America will be best served with the experiences and know-how" of Clinton as president.
South Carolina Democrats hold their primary on Feb. 27, a week after Saturday's Nevada caucuses.
Clyburn's support of Hillary Clinton comes eight years after he had strong words for some of former president Bill Clinton's rhetoric toward then-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who won the 2008 South Carolina primary. Clyburn remained neutral during that campaign.
In an April 2008 interview with The New York Times, Clyburn said that there seemed to be a "unanimous" belief among the African-American community that the Clintons were “committed to doing everything they possibly can to damage Obama to a point that he could never win.”