Surrounded by a small crowd of supporters, some Columbus elected officials gathered at City Hall, Thursday, to formally endorse Democratic Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton.

With early voting underway in Ohio, newly-elected Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, alongside former Mayor Michael Coleman and U.S. Representative Joyce Beatty, felt a sense of urgency to publically endorse Clinton.

“People are making decisions right now in Columbus and around this state, and we wanted to be clear in our support for Secretary Clinton," Ginther said.

Beatty said Clinton’s political expertise far exceeds her opponents.

“A president is someone who doesn’t start on day one as someone who’s going to learn on the job. It’s a job that you have to come with, with that experience," Beatty said.

Coleman underscored Clinton’s support of the urban agenda.

“In areas of civil rights, the areas of children…healthcare, reasonable and common sense gun control," Coleman said.

With the FBI still investigating possible motives behind a machete attack at a rastuarant in east Columbus, Ginther said Clinton has the experience to handle unexpected security issues that may arise.

“She has said over and over again when you’re president, you don’t get to pick the situations and challenges you face. And she has continued to stand and deliver for the American people on issues of national security and international affairs.”

As many young voters, particularly college students, appear to be aligning with candidate Bernie Sanders, Ginther said many of Clinton’s messages resonate with Ohio’s young people.

“How to unload some of the crushing undergraduate student loan debt that our young people are facing and making sure that they can get a decent job to support their families," he said.

Clinton faces Sanders in Nevada’s Democratic Caucus this weekend and South Carolina’s democratic primary next Saturday.

Ohio’s primary is less than a month away.