Amanda Coyne

The Greenville News

Two days after telling the Associated Press he could vote for a Republican in 2016, Democratic superdelegate and former state Rep. Boyd Brown has endorsed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for president.

Brown was a state co-chair for former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's presidential campaign before O'Malley ended his White House bid on Monday night. Brown released his endorsement through the Clinton campaign Thursday afternoon after meeting and discussing with her campaign and that of Sen. Bernie Sanders, the only other remaining candidate in the Democratic race.

"After consideration, it's clear that Secretary Clinton is the only candidate in the field with a realistic economic plan for my generation," Brown said in a statement. "Her vision and ideas for the future aren't built on false hope and day dreams, but on pragmatic solutions."

On Tuesday, Brown told the Associated Press he could not see himself backing either candidate. Sanders' socialist views and Clinton's "lack of 'core values'" precluded him from giving his support, and he could potentially vote for a Republican in November, he said in the Tuesday story.

Brown praised Clinton's "core values" in his statement of endorsement Thursday, as well as her positions on health care and education that could benefit rural communities. Brown represented rural Fairfield County in the S.C. House of Representatives for two terms.

"President (Bill) Clinton is absolutely right that Hillary has the core values for change and making a difference dating back to her time here in South Carolina working at the Children's Defense Fund," Brown said. "She understands that people young and old should be able to live, work and prosper in all communities including our rural communities. Rural South Carolina is facing inadequate investments in health care, education and infrastructure, which is why Hillary's leadership is important to growing economic opportunity, protecting rural health care and expanding educational opportunities from Pre-K to college."

Brown 's endorsement of Clinton also marks a switch of his superdelegate commitment, which was originally to O'Malley. Clinton now has three of South Carolina's six superdelegates: Brown, S.C. Democratic Party First Vice Chair Kaye Koonce and former Democratic National Committee Chair Don Fowler.