VIDEOS: Warren, Patrick Spar With Reporter Over Candidate's Ancestry

Governor Deval Patrick appeared at Senate Candidate Elizabeth Warren’s Somerville headquarters to offer his endorsement, and ended up coming to her defense. An otherwise by-the-books endorsement by the governor ended with a tense exchange with a reporter concerning criticism Warren has received about her ancestry and reports that she listed herself as a minority during her career as a professor.

During questions from the media, Warren and the governor sparred with the reporter over the controversy—that she once listed herself as a minority law professor at Harvard due to being 1/32 Native American—which has followed her campaign through most of May.

When the reporter brought up the issue, Patrick stepped in to answer for Warren."Let me say on behalf of the people of the commonwealth, we don't care about that subject," Patrick said.

The reporter then asked, "Do you think that speaks to her character?" and asked that Warren answer the question.

"I defer to the governor on this one," Warren said initially, before adding, "I think the governor has made the right point, and that is, I know why I got in this race. I got in this race because families are getting hammered."

"So you're not answering," the reporter responded.

To which Warren replied, "You just don't like the answer."

"It's not an answer," said the reporter.

"It is an answer,' said Warren.

Patrick Endorsement Made Days Before Nominating Convention

Patrick visited Somerville Wednesday to officially endorse the candidate in her campaign to unseat Republican Sen. Scott Brown. 

Patrick delivered his endorsement at Warren's campaign headquarters, located in Somerville's Assembly Square.

The governor made his endorsement surrounded by a crowd of Warren campaign volunteers.

Although Warren is the frontrunner for the party's nomination, she will likely face a primary challenge from Marisa DeFranco, an immigration lawyer from Middleton.

Patrick said previously said he would stay out of the primary campaign, but the governor addressed the issue of primary competition, saying, "As Democrats we're lucky to have two strong candidates competing to be the party's nominee for the United States Senate … but I am with Elizabeth Warren."