Gov. Markell endorses Hillary Clinton for president

Delaware Gov. Jack Markell, a Democrat, endorsed the presidential campaign of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in an interview on Wednesday, saying Clinton is "in the best position to be the strongest president."

Markell had been awaiting a decision on a 2016 campaign from Vice President Joe Biden, and said he would have supported a Biden campaign for president.

But the vice president put an end to speculation in a White House announcement on Wednesday, saying that a window to enter the presidential campaign had closed. Markell shifted his support to Clinton after Biden's exit, citing her "advocacy for the middle class."

"At this point, I think Secretary Clinton has certainly established herself as someone who will be a strong candidate and who will do the job well," Markell said. "I will support her campaign. I think it's important that we continue to build on the foundation that's been laid. I think she's the strongest candidate. I also think she'll be in the best position to be the strongest president."

Markell is choosing Clinton over U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Independent from Vermont who has galvanized the liberal base, and other Democratic candidates including Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley.

Markell has expressed concern about the leftward shift of the Democratic party, a movement recently led by Sanders, a self-described Democratic socialist. Delaware's governor has said that Democrats should pursue an economic agenda focused on growth, not "redistribution," and he said policies like raising the minimum wage will not fully address the country's economic challenges.

"I think relying on a strategy where all you’re trying to do is turn out your base of liberal Democrats is not a very compelling electoral strategy," Markell told Politico over the summer.

Contact Jonathan Starkey at (302) 983-6756, on Twitter @jwstarkey or at jstarkey@delawareonline.com.