Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden participates in a Democratic presidential primary debate at the Gaillard Center, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020, in Charleston, S.C., co-hosted by CBS News and the Congressional Black Caucus Institute. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

CHICAGO (AP) — Former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and more than 80 other top Illinois Democrats are endorsing Joe Biden for president. Biden’s campaign announced the endorsements on Wednesday.

Biden is hoping to notch his first Democratic primary victory in South Carolina on Saturday and take that momentum into next week’s Super Tuesday contests and beyond. Illinois’ primary is on March 17, two weeks after Super Tuesday.

Besides Quinn, the endorsement includes former Chicago Deputy Mayor Andrea Zopp, state Sen. Iris Martinez and Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering. Zopp says Biden knows the struggle working people go through to get out of poverty because of his own family’s experience.