Andrew Yang endorses Joe Biden
Andrew Yang on Tuesday became the latest former Democratic presidential candidate to back Biden as the former vice president continues to rack up wins in the presidential primaries. Yang joins 10 of Biden's former challengers who endorsed the former vice president, joining Pete Buttigieg, Michael Bloomberg, Amy Klobuchar, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Beto O'Rourke, among others.
"I believe that Joe Biden will be the Democratic nominee," Yang said on CNN, where he is now a contributor. "And I've always said I'm going to support whoever the nominee is, so I hereby am endorsing Joe Biden to be not just the nominee for the Democratic Party but the president of the United States."
Yang, who dropped out of the race immediately after last month's New Hampshire primary, said he has spoken with Biden numerous times, but wanted to let the primary process play out.
The technology entrepreneur said he backed Bernie Sanders in 2016 and called the Vermont senator an "inspiration."
"But the math says Joe is our prohibitive nominee," Yang said. "We need to bring the party together. We need to start working on defeating Donald Trump in the fall."
Biden, he added, is the "right man for the job" to keep President Trump from winning a second term and govern the country in the coming years.
"He has to show that look, we know that this economy is not working for many, many Americans, millions of Americans who feel left behind," he said. "You can't just say we're going to swing the pendulum back to the Obama-Biden years. We have to actually start doing the work that activated people to vote for Donald Trump, that activated to get out for Bernie Sanders. I believe Joe is open to that message. His heart is in the right place."
During his presidential campaign, Yang developed a passionate group of backers known as the "Yang Gang" and said that for the former vice president to win their support, he needs to ensure there is not a return to the status quo.
Biden has gained momentum following his decisive win in the South Carolina primary, after which he won 10 of the 14 states that voted on Super Tuesday. Voters in six states headed to the polls Tuesday, and Biden racked up early wins in Michigan, the biggest prize of the night with 125 delegates up for grabs, as well as Mississippi and Missouri.
