Speaker DiMasi joins Clinton team

Hillary Clinton pocketed another big-name Massachusetts endorsement this morning, announcing that House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi is supporting her presidential bid.

"It's time to restore strong, competent leadership to the White House and Hillary Clinton is ready to do the job from her first day in office," DiMasi said in a statement provided by the Clinton campaign. "Senator Clinton has the experience and vision to lead America at home and abroad in these trying times."

As speaker, DiMasi helped push through the Bay State's landmark health care reform law. He has been critical of former Governor Mitt Romney, whom he accuses of taking too much credit and glossing over provisions that might not be popular with conservative as he uses the law as a feather in his cap in his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

"We need more leaders like Speaker DiMasi, who brings everyone to the table to hammer out solutions to our toughest problems," Clinton said in a statement. "I'm honored to have his support as we take our message of change across Massachusetts and the nation."

Earlier this week, Clinton won the endorsement of DiMasi's counterpart in the Massachusetts Senate, Therese Murray.

Clinton and Barack Obama, in particular, have been jockeying for the backing of prominent Massachusetts Democrats, hoping that they can help raise money and that they can boost their campaigns in neighboring New Hampshire, which is to hold the first primary of the nominating season in January.