Harris Co. commissioner says Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be a strong team

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A Harris County Commissioner who has known Senator Kamala Harris since her undergraduate days at Howard University believes Joe Biden made a thoughtful choice in naming her as his running mate.

"I'm very excited. I've known Senator Harris for a very long time. She and my wife were classmates at undergraduate school at Howard University in DC," Commissioner Rodney Ellis said. "So I met Senator Harris through my wife, and I've known her since she was in law school."

Ellis expressed his support for Harris after Biden made the announcement on Tuesday.

RELATED: Joe Biden selects California Sen. Kamala Harris as running mate

"I have the great honor to announce that I've picked @KamalaHarris - a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country's finest public servants - as my running mate," Biden tweeted. In a text message to supporters, Biden said, "Together, with you, we're going to beat Trump"

"I think that Senator Biden found someone who could be tested, someone who would have his back, and also somebody who would have the back of the American people," Ellis said. "So I think he made a very thoughtful choice, he put a lot of time into. It is a historic first, first African American to be nominated for Vice President."

Ellis calls this an exciting time and believes Harris will get more attention than a candidate would normally get.

"I think she's going to be one heck of a vice president. I think she'll get more attention than a veep candidate would get and she has shown herself to be a very deliberative and talented lawyer," Ellis said.

He knows that not all the attention she receives will be positive but it's something he says Harris can handle.

"You're gonna see them come out and attack her with a level of animosity that is just unprecedented. But she'll be ready for she's one tough prosecutor," Ellis said.