US Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton on Tuesday received backing in her 2008 presidential bid from the mayor of Los Angeles, a figurehead for the significant Hispanic section of the electorate.
The New York senator, a front runner for the Democratic Party's nomination, is "the right candidate at the right time," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told reporters in this Californian city.
"The candidates running for president on the Democratic ticket have a breadth and depth of experience that I haven't seen in the years that I've been involved," he added.
"But I'm supporting Senator Clinton because I think her experience, strength and leadership is what we need in our nation right now."
Villaraigosa, born here to a Mexican immigrant family, is a popular figure among the city's vast Hispanic community, which accounts for nearly a quarter of Los Angeles' four million inhabitants.
Hispanics are also the biggest minority in the United States, making up some 14 percent of the population.
Clinton faces challenges for the Democratic nomination from another popular Hispanic figure, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who was born to a Mexican mother, as well as her closest rival, African-American Senator Barack Obama.
Villaraigosa once worked with former US president Bill Clinton, husband of Hillary. However, he denied he was aiming to run for a job in her potential presidency.
"I'm not looking for a title," he said. "I'm looking to help elect the next president of the United States."
