by Anthony Foxx

FILE PHOTO Former Vice President Joe Biden has the endorsement of former transportation secretary Anthony Foxx, a Charlotte native and former mayor.

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I know, and respect, all of the remaining Democrats running for President. But there is one I know better than the others and only one I saw working day in and day out throughout my time in the Obama-Biden Administration. I saw him as he advised and supported President Obama through some of the biggest issues facing our nation. He did so with intelligence, heart, strength, humility and skill.



That’s why I am endorsing Joe Biden for president.



Joe has a well-earned reputation as a fighter for the middle class and those seeking to enter it. Through his public life, he’s fought to cut taxes for the middle-class, to improve schools, to raise wages and conditions for American workers, to improve health care and to protect women and girls from violence. These fights have strengthened his ability to stand on principle while working anyone who will work with him to make good things happen for all Americans.



In North Carolina, we already see the evidence of Joe’s work. One day, a high-speed rail corridor will connect the Northeast down to Atlanta, and folks will look back at billions of dollars deployed in our state that laid the foundation for it. Joe oversaw those investments and delivered.



Together, we worked to complete Raleigh Union Station, build bicycle and pedestrian trails in Asheville, and support improvements to Highway 301 in Wilson and new transportation facilities in Goldsboro. We helped pass a $305 billion infrastructure package through a hyper-polarized Congress – the first of its kind in a decade, and one of the last major bipartisan bills. There are even stretches of highway now recognizing civil rights lawyer Julius Chambers and late Duke University Professor Dr. John Hope Franklin.



Along the way, we have experienced great highs and lows with Joe, cheering as he gave up a comfortable U.S. Senate seat to serve the first African American president and struggling through the maze of American health care only to lose his beloved son Beau to cancer. Nothing has ever been handed to Joe; many precious people in his life have been taken away. His life is utterly dedicated to his faith, his family and his devotion to our nation and its values. At a time such as this, we need Joe more than ever.



The Democratic primary, so far, has been a good contest and a chance for many progressive voices to be heard. But let’s keep our eyes on the prize – the eventual contender will face a tough and unconventional opponent in Donald Trump. We need a fighter, yes, but we also need someone who will both invigorate us and compel the rest of America to come our way.

We’ll also need someone who will be steady while walking into who knows what – an economy with no shock absorbers against a downturn due to wasteful tax cuts for big corporations, broken alliances throughout the world, a hollowed out government and a country that needs to be reminded that its greatness is not just a slogan but an everyday effort to be just, to value integrity and the rule of law. We need someone stable and someone who can be a national stabilizer. We need someone who will build a bridge to the dramatic transformations our nation needs and many in our party are now calling for.



Joe has a plan to make life better in North Carolina better, and he has a diverse coalition of support to deliver:



* Joe will protect and build on Obamacare, creating a public option to expand coverage and reduce premiums.



* Joe will work to narrow the gap between rich and poor school districts, tripling funding to Title I schools, providing universal Pre-K and debt-free community college.



* Joe will invest $1.3 trillion in infrastructure for fast-growing states like ours experiencing swelling cities and rising sea levels.



* Joe will triple funding for roads and transit in rural and urban North Carolina.



When North Carolina votes on March 3, we’ll be key in deciding who the next president will be. Let’s stay laser-focused on nominating a candidate who can win the hearts and minds of Americans and get things done. Let’s nominate someone with the mix of experience, faith, and integrity and the broadest possible coalition. In my view, that’s Joe Biden, and I am proud to support my friend.



Charlotte native Anthony Foxx is former U.S. transportation secretary in the Obama administration and former Charlotte mayor.





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