Former President Bill Clinton endorsed Democratic Rep. Bob Filner for the next Mayor of San Diego Mayor last Wednesday.

According to KPBS, Filner said he occasionally speaks with the former president, who is aware of several issues regarding the city. While Clinton was president, he visited San Diego often.

“As president, I worked with Bob to save San Diego taxpayers over $3 billion and secured funding for construction of the Veteran’s Home,” Clinton said in a recorded phone call released by Filner’s campaign. “Bob has the experience to move San Diego forward.”

Filner and Clinton have had a working relationship for many years. They worked together to secure funding for a sewage treatment plant in the Tijuana River Valley, as well as the Veterans Home of Chula Vista. They also worked together to hire more public safety workers at the local level by crafting legislation and using federal money, according to KPBS.

In the recording, Clinton urged voters to support Filner’s mayoral candidacy.

“As a Freedom Rider in the 1960s, Bob showed he had the courage to do what’s right and that’s exactly what he’ll do as the mayor of San Diego,” Clinton said in the recording.

In return, Filner said he was proud to work with Clinton during his former term on strengthening relations with Mexico.

“He (Clinton) represents the kind of bipartisan cooperation that puts problem-solving ahead of politics, and that’s the kind of mayor I will be for San Diego,” Filner said.

Filner said he already has support from five San Diego City Council members and numerous other elected officials, including mayors and top officials.

“The mayor has to work with these people,” Filner told KPBS. “They know me, they have confidence in me, and they support my candidacy.”

Along with other prominent state Democrats, Gov. Jerry Brown and current mayor Jerry Sanders also endorsed Filner.