WASHINGTON — Joe Biden picked up the endorsement of Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., on Wednesday, with the suburban Chicago lawmaker telling the Sun-Times that having the ex-vice president at the top of the ticket will help Democrats keep control of the House of Representatives.

Schneider becomes the highest-ranking current elected official in Illinois to endorse Biden; the state’s primary is March 17.

Biden “is the candidate that can unite us, who can bring the party together. He is the one who is most electable. There is a united purpose among all Democrats that we have to beat Donald Trump. And I think there is a strong sense of many that Joe Biden is the best one to do that,” Schneider said.

Schneider said Biden is in the best position to bring together “Democrats that span the entire spectrum of our party. … And I really do believe that Joe Biden is best positioned to bring voters out to unite the party and ensure that we hold the majority in the House; hopefully, are able to take the majority in the Senate and get to a place where we can govern and move this country forward.”

Schneider, from Deerfield, represents the 10^th Congressional District, taking in suburbs stretching west from Lake Michigan in Cook and Lake counties. He is a co-chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s frontline program, designed to bolster Democrats in swing districts. The DCCC is the House political operation.

The Illinois frontliners are freshmen Reps. Lauren Underwood and Sean Casten; their victories in 2018 helped give the Democrats control of the House. Schneider said Biden at the top of the ticket would boost the re-election bid of Underwood and Casten.

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Biden is the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate most familiar to many Illinois elected officials because of his years of coming to the area to help elect Democratic candidates. The Illinois Biden delegate slate has more local elected officials than any of his Democratic White House primary rivals. Former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, D-Ill., is also backing Biden.

Schneider cited Biden’s foreign policy expertise and his track record for helping local candidates through the years, including when he faced a difficult race in 2014.

On Oct. 31, 2018, Biden came to Illinois to headline a get-out-the vote rally for Underwood at the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles. That boost came just days before the election in which Underwood pulled off her upset and flipped a long-held GOP congressional seat. Later that day, Biden headed to East St. Louis to headline a rally for the 2018 statewide ticket, led by now-Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Biden campaign manager Greg Schultz said in a statement, “We are grateful for Congressman Schneider’s support and for his leadership on key issues. He knows how to win in tough districts, a trusted champion for middle class families, a powerful voice on how to solve pressing global challenges. As we work to restore respected and dignified leadership on the world stage, we know that Congressman Schneider will be a valuable member of Team Joe with his foreign policy leadership and expertise.”