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On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-AL, released a statement praising the decision by former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, currently the Democratic Party’s presumptive 2020 presidential candidate, to select U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-CA, a former primary opponent, as his running mate.

“Over the many years that I have known Senator Harris, she has consistently demonstrated a commitment to serving our country, fortifying our democracy and fighting for equality for all Americans,” Sewell said in the statement. “Her compassionate heart is matched only by her relentless determination to fight for what is right, no matter the obstacles.”

Sewell noted that, as the calls for racial justice have amplified following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of police officers, Biden’s choice is ideal.

“In this moment of deep cultural awakening, Joe Biden could not have chosen a better running mate than Kamala Harris, whose own story growing up the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants is a true example of the American Dream and all that is possible in this country,” Sewell said. “We have seen the enormous power that Black women wield at the ballot box, even securing a blue win in Alabama, the reddest of red states, with the election of [U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, D-AL].”

Harris, who ended her bid for president in December, had sharply criticized Biden during the primary campaign, but shifted gears after exiting the race to become one of his most vocal supporters.

For her part, Sewell believes the Biden-Harris combo will be historic.

“I know that Kamala will harness that energy as we enter the most important election of our lifetimes,” Sewell said. “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris represent the talent and diversity of our party and our country and I look forward to supporting them all the way to the White House.”