August 14 - 2016 - Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has scored a key endorsement as former United States Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa has endorsed her bid for the White House.

In a op-ed piece published Thursday evening Harkin wrote that Clinton "has devoted her career to championing the needs of children" and has been a "tireless advocate for women and families." Harkin who retired from the Senate in 2014, served as a U.S Senator from Iowa for three decades. He also ran for president in 1992 before dropping out and endorsing the eventual winner President Bill Clinton.

The endorsement by the Iowan Harkin was coveted by all the Democrats competing in the Iowa Caucus. Harkin's nod is a  welcome development for the Clinton campaign which this week received the news that Clinton had fallen behind Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont in one poll on the state of the New Hampshire primary. And in the ongoing controversy over her  use of a private email account during her time as Secretary of State, Clinton finally relented and turned her personal computer server over to the Justice Department.

The Harkin endorsement of Clinton's campaign comes at the perfect time as she will be making an appearance at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday. On Friday night Clinton will join most of the other Democratic presidential hopefuls when she will give a speech in Northern Iowa at the annual Democratic fundraiser, the Wing Ding Dinner.