The News
Elizabeth Warren is up to something that’s rare in Washington: pouring more than $1 million into congressional Democrats’ campaign arms even while running for reelection.
As she seeks her third term as a senator, the Massachusetts progressive is also emerging as a key surrogate for her party, in both fundraising and campaign-trail terms. She’s transferred $1 million to the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee, sent $200,000 to House Democrats’ campaign counterpart, $350,000 to her state party and still more money to battleground-state Democratic parties.
It’s a sign that the 75-year-old former presidential candidate, who already sits at Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s leadership table, is planning to exert serious influence over the party she’s long nudged toward an anti-Wall Street brand of populist liberalism. Warren told Semafor that her big contributions to fellow Democrats, which aren’t typical for a lawmaker also running a reelection bid, are simply about playing her best team ball.
“The best way I can serve the people of Massachusetts is to help Kamala Harris get elected and help Democrats retain control of the Senate,” the Democratic senator told Semafor on Thursday. “I believe that this is part of how I do my job: To make the team stronger.”
In sum, Warren’s racked up more than $5 million in fundraising and donations this cycle for her party, while running against Republican challenger John Deaton to keep her Senate seat. By Election Day, she’ll have wracked up a dozen appearances for Harris and Senate candidates, including multiple stops in the “Blue Wall” states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Warren also agreed to debate Deaton despite leading handily in a seat she took from Republicans.
She sees keeping the Senate in Democratic hands as a critical task, emphasizing the stark contrast with Republican rule when it comes to climate change, abortion access, education and lifetime judicial appointments. Her goal is a tough one for Senate Democrats, whom polls currently predict will lose the majority next week.
But Warren countered that her party is “in the fight” despite doubts among pundits and strategists.
Burgess’s view
Democrats sometimes perceive Warren as marching to her own tune rather than her party’s, but she’s changing her internal image with a second consecutive cycle of high-profile surrogate work after her 2020 presidential run.
“I want to see our whole team win,” Warren said. “My particular focus right now is on the Senate because of the importance of Senate control, but I’m working for the whole team, top to bottom.”
It’s a reminder that there’s life after running for the White House for Warren, just as there has been for two-time progressive presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders. And both of those liberal favorites have shown notable willingness to assist their former rival Harris this cycle — each while also running for reelection.
Her efforts suggest that Warren plans to keep asserting her influence on the party’s political and policy agenda next year. She’ll be a top foil for Republicans if Trump wins the White House and they take Congress, but she’s trying to make sure it doesn’t get to that point.