Stephen Gruber-Miller | Des Moines Register

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller is endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden for president, just three weeks before the Iowa caucuses.

Miller, first elected in 1978 and serving his 10th term in office, became the longest-serving state attorney general in the history of the United States over the weekend. He was an early backer of Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election cycle.

Miller, a Democratic, had backed Montana Gov. Steve Bullock in the 2020 race before Bullock dropped out in December.

In an interview with the Des Moines Register on Sunday, Miller said he's getting involved again because the last month before the caucuses is "too important and too much fun to be on the sideline."

He said he chose Biden because he believes Biden is a good person who has experience and credibility working with leaders in the United States and the world.

"I think he would be a very good president, particularly the kind of president that we need now," he said. "Someone who has the experience, has the judgment, has the credibility, has worked with people in the country and around the world so extensively and is such an able guy on domestic and foreign policy."

Brian Powers/The Register

Miller said he believes Biden is the most electable candidate in the race, both because of head-to-head polling that has shown the former vice president performing well against Trump and because of Biden's support among working class voters.

"Working class people feel that Joe cares and is concerned about them and that they matter to him and he respects them, and that’s true," Miller said. "And I think that’s a very important group of voters for us to win this election."

Miller said he plans to campaign with Biden at events and give speeches on Biden's behalf, but it's up to the campaign decide how he can be most helpful.

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Miller has known Biden for decades, dating back at least to Biden's first run for president in 1987. He said Biden's time as vice president to "my hero, Barack Obama" also played a role in the decision.

In December, Miller attended a Biden event in Perry as he pondered where to throw his support after Bullock's exit. After that event, he said he rode with Biden to the airport on Biden's campaign bus, and that the two spoke a few times on the phone.

Tom Miller tells me he's "still getting over Steve" but will probably endorse someone before the caucuses. He told me he's been talking with the Biden campaign and a few others, but he wouldn't give me his list because he said he doesn't want to exclude anyone. https://t.co/734SI0IGTx — Stephen Gruber-Miller (@sgrubermiller) December 23, 2019

Miller said Sunday that he also considered supporting former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

"It was a difficult choice because I do like and respect the other two very much but in the end for me it was Joe’s electability," Miller said.

Miller's endorsement is the latest in a series of high-profile Iowa Democrats backing Biden. U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer, who represents Iowa's 1st Congressional District, endorsed Biden earlier this month and former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack and former Iowa first lady Christie Vilsack endorsed him in November.

The endorsement comes the same weekend that a new Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows Biden in fourth place in a tight race. The former vice president received 15% support, while U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders topped the poll with 20%. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren was next with 17% and Buttigieg came third with 16%.

Biden will return to Iowa for Tuesday's Democratic presidential debate in Des Moines, which is hosted by the Des Moines Register and CNN. He is also scheduled to campaign in Iowa on Jan. 17 and 18. The Iowa caucuses are Feb. 3.

View | 17 Photos

Abby Finkenauer campaigns with Joe Biden in Des Moines Saturday

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.