Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) has endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for the Democratic presidential nomination, the Sanders campaign announced Tuesday.

Takano, chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee and member of the Progressive Caucus, is one of fewer than 10 members of Congress to throw their support behind the Vermont senator.

"I've always admired Bernie Sanders for the courageous leadership that he has displayed over his life in Congress," Takano said in a statement. "I think about him standing up against the Defense of Marriage Act. Very few members of Congress actually stood up for marriage equality in the 1990s. I think he's got the clearest history of protecting Medicare and Social Security."

Far more lawmakers have backed former Vice President Joe Biden, who is the current delegate leader following a strong showing in last week's Super Tuesday contests.

Sanders did capture Takano's home state of California last week, but the party establishment has increasingly fallen behind Biden, who is looking strong in all six of the states set to hold their primaries on Tuesday.