Cory Booker
Cory BookerReuters

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, a former Democratic presidential candidate, on Monday endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden’s White House bid, Politico reported.

Booker becomes the latest of Biden’s old primary rivals to back his campaign over that of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

"The answer to hatred & division is to reignite our spirit of common purpose," Booker wrote on Twitter. "Joe Biden won’t only win - he’ll show there's more that unites us than divides us. He’ll restore honor to the Oval Office and tackle our most pressing challenges. That’s why I’m proud to endorse Joe."

Elaborating on his endorsement in a subsequent interview, Booker said that "it became very clear to me that Joe Biden is the right person" to defeat President Donald Trump in November.

"It's about time we start unifying as a party and begin the work to beat Donald Trump and, frankly, save our nation, humanity, address our common cause and our common challenges," Booker told CBS.

Booker's support adds to the already significant consolidation of former Democratic White House hopefuls and party leaders around Biden.

On Sunday, Senator Kamala Harris announced she would be supporting Biden. She was preceded by Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, former South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg, and former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke.

Former Secretary of State John Kerry has also endorsed Biden. Kerry was the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, losing the election to President George W. Bush.

Booker dropped out of the Democratic presidential race in January after struggling in the polls.

Downplaying his previous criticisms of Biden, Booker insisted Monday that "I love Joe Biden," adding that he was "enthusiastic about this decision" to endorse.

"As I look at him, I know factually from talking to him that some of my biggest issues — like criminal justice reform, like racial justice, like economic justice — that he is going to be a strong leader on that and can actually pull the country together, the kinds of coalitions we need, to actually make progress in those areas," Booker said, according to Politico.