Elizabeth Warren backs Eliz Markowitz in battleground Texas House race

Elizabeth Warren is the latest Democratic presidential candidate to endorse Eliz Markowitz in the nationally targeted race for Texas House District 28.

"I'm joining Democrats across Texas and the country who are jumping all in for Eliz, because I know she's the fighter we need to put real change on the agenda for all Texans,” the Massachusetts U.S. senator said in a statement. "As an educator and advocate, Eliz has shown up for her community time and again. The people of Fort Bend County and the 28th District deserve a woman like Eliz in the House."

Markowitz, a Katy educator, faces Republican businessman Gary Gates in the Jan. 28 special election runoff to fill the seat of former Rep. John Zerwas, R-Richmond. Early voting began Tuesday and goes through Friday.

Democrats are pushing to flip the traditionally red seat as they head toward November with hopes of capturing the House, where they are effectively nine seats away from the majority.

Warren is at least the third White House contender to weigh in for Markowitz. Michael Bloomberg visited the district in late December to stump with Markowitz, and Joe Biden endorsed her earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Beto O'Rourke has made the race his top political priority since ending his presidential campaign in November, camping out in the district for days at a time. Another Texan who previously ran for president, Julián Castro, was in the district Saturday to campaign for Markowitz.