U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, an Iowa native, backs Elizabeth Warren for president

U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, a native Iowan and a rising star in the Democratic Party, confirmed to the Des Moines Register Saturday that she is endorsing U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren for president.

"Elizabeth will be the best leader for this country (because of) her ideas and her ability to translate those ideas into policies and structures that really change our country for the better," Porter, a freshman congresswoman from California, said in an interview. 

Porter's endorsement, first reported by CNN, comes as Warren has risen steadily in early-state and national polls, but as several of Warren's competitors have eclipsed her in the hunt for major endorsers. 

Porter, who was born in Fort Dodge and taught at the University of Iowa, was Warren's student at Harvard in 2000. She said watching the fallout from the 1980s Farm Crisis was among "the most powerful experience of my childhood," and taking Warren's bankruptcy course gave her the framing to understand that problem and refocus on helping struggling families.

"I have the notes from that class to this day," she said.

But Porter is also close with U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, who is battling Warren from the Democratic nomination. In 2012, Harris, who was the attorney general for California, appointed Porter to oversee the way large banks distributed homeowner relief in the wake of the foreclosure crisis.

Porter said she took her time in making her endorsement decision and believes Harris is "adding a lot to the conversation as a candidate."

Porter will be in Iowa next weekend to participate in events with Warren around the Iowa Democratic Party's Liberty and Justice Celebration — a key event that comes as the caucus campaign enters its final 100 days. She will attend a town hall in Davenport and a canvass kick off in Iowa City.

"Katie is a relentless fighter for the protections that safeguard consumers and force banks to give families a fair shake," Warren said in a statement. "I'm honored to have her support in our fight for big, structural change."

Brianne Pfannenstiel is the Chief Politics Reporter for the Register. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR.