Biden for President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
March 8, 2020

Former Secretary of the Navy, Ambassador and Mississippi Governor Ray Mabus Endorses Joe Biden

With just two days until Mississippi’s March 10 Primary, former Obama-Biden Administration Secretary of the Navy, Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and Governor of Mississippi Ray Mabus released the following statement endorsing Joe Biden for President of the United States: 

“I have known and worked with Joe Biden for more than 30 years. As Secretary of the Navy in the Obama-Biden Administration, I worked closely with Vice President Biden and I can tell you from firsthand experience: Joe Biden is ready to take over as Commander-in-Chief on day one of his presidency. I hope Mississippians join me on Tuesday and vote for Joe Biden — a man who stands with Mississippians, understands our issues and needs, and who has the empathy and humanity our country desperately needs right now. In this election, the most important of our lifetimes, we need to nominate the right candidate for the job — and that candidate is Joe Biden.”

Mabus served as the Obama-Biden Administration’s Secretary of the Navy, the Clinton Administration’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and previously as the Governor of Mississippi. 

Mabus joins a strong list of Mississippi leaders backing Biden, including Congressman Bennie Thompson, Secretary of Agriculture and Congressman Mike Espy, and more than 25 state legislators including all 16 members of the Mississippi Senate Democratic Caucus. Biden for President has previously announced more than 1,700 endorsements from national, state, and local leaders, including current and former U.S. senators and representatives, governors, state elected officials, community leaders, and national security professionals. 

Biden for President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
March 8, 2020

Former Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy Endorses Joe Biden

Today, former Secretary of Agriculture and Mississippi Congressman Mike Espy released the following statement endorsing Joe Biden for President of the United States: 

“Our nation is searching for a leader- someone with competence, integrity, humanity and steely resolve. 

“Someone we can trust- who will look us in the eye and tell us the truth.  We are tired of lies, hatred, suspicion and hyper-partisanship. 

“We want a leader we can respect, and who will again engender respect for our nation across the globe. 

“We need a real leader who can unite us, heal us, and excite us. Someone who not only can win the presidency but can also usher in down ballot victories- because we need to hold the House and flip the Senate. 

“Because of his experience, his humanity, his vision and his world view- I heartily endorse Joe Biden for President and will do all I can to ensure that he becomes our nation’s 46th President.”

Secretary Espy served as the 25th Secretary of Agriculture from 1993 to 1994 and was the first African American to serve in that role. He is currently running for United States Senate against Mississippi Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. 

Espy joins a strong list of Mississippi leaders backing Biden, including Congressman Bennie Thompson, and more than 25 state legislators including all 16 members of the Mississippi Senate Democratic Caucus. Biden for President has previously announced more than 1,700 endorsements from national, state, and local leaders, including current and former U.S. senators and representatives, governors, state elected officials, community leaders, and national security professionals. 

Biden for President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
March 5, 2020

Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson Endorses Joe Biden for President

Today, Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson released the following statement endorsing Joe Biden for President of the United States:

“Our nation is aching for the kind of moral leadership that can end today’s division and hate and bring our country together. Joe Biden has spent his whole life serving something bigger than himself, fighting beside us in every fight that matters. Time and again, Joe has shown he has the deep character and unmatched skills to both heal and lead – and get things done. And, as chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, I know how badly our nation needs a president with the kind of deep national security experience that Joe has – someone who has played a key role in countless high-stakes efforts to keep this country safe; who has deep expertise and ties to leaders around the world; and who, when a crisis like the coronavirus hits, would immediately know how to organize government and rally the nation to solve the problem. I know in my bones: Joe is the steady leader we need to move us beyond these uncertain times.”

Congressman Thompson joins scores of Members of Congress in endorsing Biden this week with more than 60 U.S. Representatives and seven U.S. Senators, including the most endorsements from members of both the Congressional Black Caucus and Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Thompson also  joins a strong list of Mississippi leaders backing Biden, including 10 state legislators. Nationally, Biden for President has previously announced more than 1,500 endorsements from national, state, and local leaders, including current and former U.S. senators and representatives, governors, state elected officials, community leaders, and national security professionals. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 12, 2019

59 African American State Legislators Endorse Joe Biden Ahead of Third Democratic Debate

Today, Biden for President is announcing 59 African American state legislators from 15 states who are endorsing Joe Biden ahead of the third Democratic debate. As Vice President Biden’s campaign expands across the country, today’s endorsements come from key Super Tuesday states like California, Minnesota, and Tennessee, as well as crucial battleground states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.  
 
Today’s endorsements also include 26 Georgia state legislators, including the legislature’s Black Caucus Chair, House Democratic Caucus Chair, and the President-Elect of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL). In total, 76 African American state legislators nationwide have now endorsed Vice President Biden. 
 
“We are building a diverse coalition to create a path to the nomination that runs through the early states, Super Tuesday, and beyond. We are honored to have the support of these respected leaders from across the country who are helping us assemble the strongest campaign in the country,” said Greg Schultz, Campaign Manager, Biden for President. “The endorsements of local elected officials who are committed to getting things done for their communities are imperative in our campaign’s fight for the soul of America and to defeat Donald Trump.”
 
Today’s endorsements build on the campaign’s momentum heading into Thursday night’s debate and represent continued enthusiasm in key states. 
 
Today’s new endorsements include:

• Billy Mitchell, GA State Representative & President-Elect National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL)
• Barbara Ballard, KS State Senator  and House Minority Caucus Chair
• Karen Bennett, GA State Representative and Georgia Legislative Black Caucus Chair    
• James Beverly, GA State Representative and Georgia House Democratic Caucus Chair    
• Gregory W. Porter, IN State Representative and Former President of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators
• Cherrish Pryor, IN State Representative and House Democratic Caucus Floor Leader
• Derrick Simmons, MS State Senator Minority Leader
• Angela Turner-Ford, MS Senator and Chair of Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus
• Sheryl Williams-Stapleton, NM State Representative, Majority Leader
• Raumesh Akbari, TN State Senator    
• Kimberly Alexander, GA State Representative    
• Tonya Anderson, GA State Senator    
• Regina Barrow, LA State Senator    
• Debra Bazemore, GA State Representative    
• Chris Bell, MS State Representative    
• Barbara Blackmon, MS State Senator    
• Edward Blackmon, MS State Representative    
• Roger Bruce, GA State Representative    
• Marshall Bullock, MI State Senator    
• Cedric Burnett, MS State Representative    
• Rhonda Burnough, GA State Representative    
• Gloria Butler, GA State Senator    
• Doreen Carter, GA State Representative    
• Troy Carter, LA State Senator    
• Morgan Cephas, PA State Representative    
• Sheila Clark-Nelson, GA State Representative    
• Jim Cooper, CA State Assemblyman    
• Jason Dawkins, PA State Representative    
• Pam Dickerson, GA State Representative    
• Winfred Dukes, GA State Representative    
• Jason Fields, WI State Representative    
• Gloria Frazier, GA State Representative    
• Randall Gaines, LA State Representative    
• Brenda Gilmore, TN State Senator
• Juandalyn Givan, AL State Representative    
• Ed Harbison, GA State Senator    
• CaMia Hopson, GA State Representative    
• John Horne, MS State Senator    
• Carolyn Hugely, GA State Representative    
• Mack Jackson, GA State Representative    
• Donzella James, GA State Senator    
• Emanuel Jones, GA State Senator    
• Sheila Jones, GA State Representative    
• Dar'Shun Kendrick, GA State Representative    
• Harold Love, TN State Representative    
• Dewey McClain, GA State Representative    
• Carl Mickens, MS State Representative    
• Rena Moran, MN State Representative    
• Gerald Neal, KY State Senator    
• Barbara Norton, LA State Representative    
• Sollie Norwood, MS State Senator    
• Miriam Paris, GA State Representative    
• Kim Schofield, GA State Representative    
• Joe Tate, MI State Representative    
• Kenneth Walker, MS State Representative    
• Karen Whitsett, MI State Representative    
• Al Williams, GA State Representative    
• Robert Williams, SC State Representative    
• Tenisha Yancey, MI State Representative

Today’s endorsements add to a list of 17 African American state legislators who have previously announced their support for Joe Biden. Earlier this week, the campaign also announced new endorsements from South Carolina and New Hampshire, as well as endorsements from the Super Tuesday states Texas and Tennessee.
 
Biden for President has previously announced more than 320 endorsements from national, state and local leaders, including current and former U.S. senators and representatives, governors, state elected officials, and community leaders.