Warren 2020?

With the 2018 midterm elections just two months behind us, it may seem early to start thinking ahead to the 2020 presidential election. But that’s not the case for Democrats, who have barely taken a moment to catch their collective breath before beginning the process of challenging President Trump (or . . .  maybe some other representative of the Republican party?) two years from now. Several prominent Democrats–including Senator Kamala Harris of California, Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York–have hinted that they might be interested in a 2020 presidential run. But one Democrat has already declared her candidacy: Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Here, Election Central takes a closer look at Senator Warren and why she might be interested in taking on the campaign of a lifetime.

Who Is She?

Born in Oklahoma in 1949, Warren became the first woman elected to the Senate from Massachusetts in 2013. Before that, she was a law professor at Harvard University. She ran for senator on a populist message, and since then, she has mainly focused on cracking down on government corruption and corporate greed. Once Donald Trump took office in January 2017, he and Warren have often engaged in public name-calling and other personal attacks.

Nevertheless, She Persisted

Elizabeth Warren is probably most famous for being responsible for one of the best-known feminist slogans of the Trump presidency. Here’s what happened: Trump appointed Jeff Sessions to be the Attorney General. However, during his Senate confirmation hearings, Warren read aloud from a letter written by Coretta Scott King, wife of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Mrs. King had written the letter years earlier to explain why Sessions’ racist rulings made him unfit to serve as a federal judge. Elizabeth Warren presented the letter as proof that Sessions was unfit to serve as attorney general as well. When Senator Mitch McConnell repeatedly asked Warren to sit down and to stop reading the letter, she refused. Finally, he had her removed from Senate chambers. Warren continued reading the letter in the hallway outside the chambers, and the recording of it went viral. When asked why Warren had been removed from Senate chambers, McConnell explained that he had asked her repeatedly to sit down and to be quiet, but “nevertheless, she persisted” in reading the letter. A slogan was born.

What’s This “Pocahontas” Thing All About?

In a move that may wind up damaging her political reputation long-term, Warren took a DNA test last October that revealed the strong possibility that she has Native American ancestry. Why did she take the test? Because Trump, who has labeled Warren with the demeaning nickname “Pocahontas,” promised her a million dollars for her favorite charity if she could prove her Native American heritage. Warren did, and Trump backed off on his promise. However, Warren received a lot of criticism for undergoing the test in the first place. Opponents said that she was trying to claim Native American ancestry in order to further her career. Last week, Warren addressed the issue at a speech in Council Bluffs, Iowa, saying that she was not trying to claim membership in any tribe and was instead just trying to be as forthcoming as possible about her ancestry.

But Can She Win?

Political experts are divided about Warren’s chances for winning the Democratic primary and becoming the candidate to face down Trump in the 2020 general election. On the one hand, her populist message has always been very popular among Democrats, particularly in middle America. Also, thanks to her public sparring with Trump, she has become one of the best-known Democratic senators.

On the other hand, Warren shares many similarities with Hillary Clinton–both are liberal, white women in their 70s–which may turn some voters off. Others voters may disagree with Warren’s personal attacks on the president, while some are still upset about her decision to undergo DNA testing last October. Regardless, Warren is not likely to shy away from any opportunity to face off against the president.

What Do You Think? Other Democratic frontrunners include those listed in this article, as well as Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, and Ohio senator Sherrod Brown. Spend a few minutes researching these candidates, including Elizabeth Warren. In your opinion, who would be the best choice for Democratic candidate in 2020? Explain.