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Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom officially endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for president Friday during an appearance at a virtual fundraiser for Biden.
Newsom had previously endorsed Kamala Harris in her presidential bid, but Harris suspended her campaign in 2019 due to a lack of financial support.
Biden became the presumptive Democratic nominee after the other candidates exited the race.
"I just couldn't be more proud of you and the prospect of your presidency," Newsom told Biden.
"You're willing to reach out to people, never talk down to people, regardless of their political stripes, regardless of their lot in life," Newsom continued. "That's about character. It's about decency. It's about honor."
Biden accepted Newsom's endorsement, telling Newsom that "I'm going to need you badly" if he were to win the election.
Newsweek reached out to the Biden campaign for comment. This story will be updated with any response.
While Newsom's endorsement of Biden appeared to make sense by party affiliation, Governor Newsom has been friendly with Republican President Donald Trump during the coronavirus pandemic in California.
When California needed testing swabs in March, Newsom said Trump was "on top" of the situation.
"The president assured me, not only assured me, he was aware of where those swabs are being procured before I even offered my own insight," Newsom said at the time. "Not only is he on top of it, but they're securing and beginning the process of distributing those swabs."
It was a change of tone for Newsom who had previously referred to Trump as both a "racist" and a "bigot." After Trump won the presidency in 2016, Newsom called his victory "a national disgrace."
"I am working to solve problems, not create problems," Newsom said in March 2020. "I'm willing to put aside our differences on a lot of issues to meet this moment, so I can meet the needs of the people of the state of California."
Swabs played a part in comments made by Newsom in April that echoed one of Trump's reelection campaign phrases. After receiving 90,000 swabs out of the 100,000 promised to the state by the federal government, Newsom said, "Promise made, promise kept," during a news briefing.
Trump seemed pleased with Newsom's remarks. "He said 'promises made, promises kept,'" Trump said of Newsom. "He actually said that in a statement today."
However, even though Trump still spoke well of Newsom during a Friday interview on Fox & Friends, he said California's caution in reopening its economy was calculated to hurt his reelection chances.
"Gavin Newsom's been very generous to me in his statements," Trump said, "and I appreciate it. But I think they can move a little quicker in California, to be honest. And I think the people are forcing it. The people are going to force it."
"They think they're doing it because it will hurt me the longer it takes," Trump explained. "It will hurt me in the election the longer it takes to open up. And I can see some of that because some of these people are being unrealistic. They're being ridiculous."
