Hillary Clinton nabbed a crucial endorsement today, after California Governor Jerry Brown voiced his full-throated support for the former Secretary of State ahead of his state’s important primary race.
Gov. Jerry Brown announced today that he will vote for Hillary Clinton in next week’s California primary because, he claims, Clinton is the only candidate who can stop Donald Trump .
“On Tuesday, June 7, I have decided to cast my vote for Hillary Clinton because I believe this is the only path forward to win the presidency and stop the dangerous candidacy of Donald Trump,” Gov. Jerry Brown announced today in an open letter to California voters.
Jerry Brown once called Bill Clinton “the prince of sleaze.” Now, he’s endorsing Hillary: https://t.co/jc12kyD6Gk pic.twitter.com/iHIhtR7P8H
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) May 31, 2016
Unlike some of Clinton previous endorsements, today’s is something of a surprise. Governor Jerry Brown hasn’t always had a good relationship with the Clintons, and Brown himself ran against Bill Clinton in the Democratic presidential primary back in 1992. Not unlike Bernie Sanders, Jerry Brown came in a close second against Bill Clinton during the primary, taking the fight all the way to the Democratic convention , reports ABC News.
Gov. Brown alluded to his earlier fight against the Clintons in his open letter today, and stated that he and Senator Bernie Sanders share similar ideals.
“I have closely watched the primaries and am deeply impressed with how well Bernie Sanders has done. He has driven home the message that the top one percent has unfairly captured way too much of America’s wealth, leaving the majority of people far behind. In 1992, I attempted a similar campaign,” said Gov. Jerry Brown today.
The California governor goes on to express his support for Hillary Clinton, and enumerate the reasons why he believes that she’s not only the right choice for the Democratic Party but also the right choice for the American people at large.
“For her part, Hillary Clinton has convincingly made the case that she knows how to get things done, and has the tenacity and skill to advance the Democratic agenda,” said Gov. Jerry Brown.
Brown goes on to detail the mathematical lead Clinton holds over Sanders, which the California governor characterizes as “insurmountable” for the Vermont senator. Governor Brown also details his feelings on the race, and more than that, why Hillary Clinton is the right choice, despite the mathematical edge she holds.
“There is more at stake than mere numbers. Donald Trump has called climate change a ‘hoax’ and said he will tear up the Paris Climate agreement. He has promised to deport millions of immigrants and ominously suggested that other countries may need the nuclear bomb. The stakes couldn’t be higher,” says Gov. Jerry Brown.
California Governor Jerry Brown is endorsing Hillary Clinton for president https://t.co/NNtgf0sVoZ pic.twitter.com/bA6NfGQKMn
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) May 31, 2016
Today’s endorsement from the California governor comes after Bill Clinton paid a visit to the governor’s mansion, where the two men reportedly made peace with their contentious past. According to the L.A. Times , Brown invited Clinton to discuss the campaign, and presumably a potential endorsement. Gov. Brown has attempted to act as something of a peacemaker between Sanders supporters and Clinton supporters, stating earlier that a “scorched earth” campaign isn’t a sound strategy for the Democratic Party, that defeating Trump is the “overriding imperative.”
“Hillary Clinton, with her long experience, especially as Secretary of State, has a firm grasp of the issues and will be prepared to lead our country from day one. Next January, I want to be sure that it is Hillary Clinton who takes the oath of office, not Donald Trump,” said Governor Jerry Brown in an open letter to California voters today.
Whether or not Gov. Jerry Brown’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton will have any effect during next week’s crucial primary remains to be seen, but as Jerry Brown says, the stakes couldn’t be higher for the Democratic Party. Sanders and Clinton are neck-and-neck as of the most recent polling .
[Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]