WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Former Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday endorsed Democratic front-runner Joe Biden to be the Party's candidate for the 2020 presidential election.
The veteran diplomat is the first prominent leader to endorse Biden, giving a major boost to the former Vice President's chances of surging ahead of 14 other contenders for the party ticket to fight Republican candidate Donald Trump in November next.
A few weeks ago, more than 100 national security and foreign policy professionals had endorsed Biden for President. New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has openly pledged her support to Bernie Sanders.
Kerry, who is 2 years younger to 77-year-old Biden, will join him at an election rally in Iowa on Friday.
'Proud to head back to Iowa tomorrow to campaign with my friend Joe,' he said on Twitter Thursday.
'I'm not endorsing Joe because I've known him for so long, but because I know him so well: he'll be ready on day one to put back together the country and the world that Donald Trump has broken apart', he added.
The endorsement news was released by the Biden campaign.
'Joe will defeat Donald Trump next November. He's the candidate with the wisdom and standing to fix what Trump has broken, to restore our place in the world, and improve the lives of working people here at home,' Kerry said in statement.
'There's never been a time more urgent for leadership at home that can work for the middle class and tackle existential issues like climate change where we are moving dangerously backwards,' according to him.
Kerry, who was the Democratic candidate in the 2004 presidential election, noted that Biden has a legacy of getting things done with integrity and bipartisanship. He recalled the both of them sharing experiences on 'hundreds of thousands of miles travelling together building relationships around the world.'
Jerry's endorsement of Biden comes two days after California Senator Kamala Harris announced that she is ending her bid for party nomination for 2020 election unable to raise sufficient funds.
Harris failed to outperform the top contenders in a crowded field of Democratic presidential aspirants.
Her exit leaves 15 candidates in the battle for a Democratic ticket, including four women - Tulsi Gabbard, Kirsten Gillibrand, Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren.
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