Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Thursday endorsed Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) in her bid to run for the U.S. Senate in 2024.
Porter became the first candidate to throw her hat in the ring for the seat currently held by 89-year-old Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who has said she will announce a decision on whether she will pursue another term “at the appropriate time.” Porter told CNN she hasn’t had the opportunity to chat with Feinstein about her bid.
Warren said the progressive California Democrat was her student in consumer law at Harvard Law School, adding that the two have known each other long before any of them ran for Congress.
“She’s smart and she has a backbone made out of steel,” Warren said in a video posted on Twitter. “She stands up to Wall Street and Big Pharma. She holds fossil fuel companies accountable.”
Warren also made reference to Porter’s use of a whiteboard during congressional hearings to grill powerful people on Capitol Hill, which has earned her viral clips on social media.
“We need her and her whiteboard in the United States Senate,” Warren said.
Warren’s endorsement marks Porter’s first big show of support ahead of what is shaping up to be a tough race.
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) has reportedly told colleagues she is planning to run, while Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is also thought to be mulling joining the race.
Porter held out on endorsing Warren in her run for president for several months as now-Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Porter also considers a mentor, was in the race. But the California Democrat ultimately served as a co-chair for Warren’s 2020 presidential campaign.