Pennsylvania State Rep. Sara Innamorato is endorsing Bernie Sanders for president.

It came down to Mr. Sanders's career-long advocacy on issues like climate change, Medicare for All and housing affordability, she said.

Innamorato, who represents the 21st legislative district spanning Aspinwall, Millvale and parts of Pittsburgh's East End, dismissed warnings from other Democratic campaigns that a Sanders nomination would alienate rural voters.

"When you really go into these places, the collar counties, and talk about what is keeping people up at night, it's their health care," she said. "It's their access to opportunity. They're afraid that oil and gas is going to be the only industry they know in their community, and they're not sure that it's not making them sick."