CLEVELAND, Ohio – Former Vice President Joe Biden snagged arguably the biggest Democratic endorsement in the state Tuesday as Sen. Sherrod Brown threw his support behind the presidential hopeful.

Brown, who flirted with running for president himself, said he planned to stay out of the race until the primary was over. But with a worsening economy and the coronavirus outbreak growing, Brown said Biden offered the best choice for leadership during crisis.

"Dignity of Work isn't a slogan – it's who we are, and how we govern; Joe Biden understands that,” Brown said in a statement. “And as we face both a public health crisis and an economy in turmoil, we need a steady hand more than ever. Joe Biden has the experience, the tenacity, and the empathy to lead in a crisis, and the hope to bring us together, and steer us toward brighter days ahead."

Brown’s endorsement solidifies support for Biden among most of Ohio’s top elected Democrats who view Biden as the most competitive candidate to take on Republican President Donald Trump in November. Reps. Marcia Fudge of Warrensville Heights, Marcy Kaptur of Toledo and Tim Ryan of Niles – who also ran for president – have all backed Biden in the primary.

Brown, a vocal critic of Trump’s, has the potential to be a powerful surrogate for Biden as the standard bearer for Democrats in the state.

In 2018, the senator won re-election against then-Rep. Jim Renacci, a Republican and Trump’s hand-picked candidate after former Treasurer Josh Mandel dropped out, during what was otherwise an across-the-board victory by Ohio Republicans at the top of the ballot.

Ohio’s March 17 primary election was already trending toward Biden when it was abruptly postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Legislature moved the date to April 28, canceling in-person voting in favor of a vote-by-mail ballot.

A March 26 poll of Ohio voters from Baldwin Wallace University, Oakland University and Ohio Northern University showed Biden as the favorite over Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in the primary.

Biden trailed Trump in a hypothetical general election matchup in the state by 4 percentage points. Trump won Ohio in 2016 by 8 percentage points.

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