Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) threw her support behind former vice president Joe Biden on Thursday, joining a dozen other former competitors to back his bid to become the Democratic nominee for president.

“He’s the absolute best candidate to defeat President Trump, and I think he is the person who has gained the trust and the respect of the American people in a way that no one else has,” Gillibrand said in an interview with The Washington Post. “The truth is he’s run the strongest campaign.”

Gillibrand’s nod comes as much of the party is coalescing behind Biden, who has racked up a more than 200 delegate lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). The third well-known competitor in the race, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), ended her campaign Thursday and endorsed Biden.

The health and financial crises caused by the coronavirus pandemic contributed to her view that Biden is the right candidate, Gillibrand said.