Elizabeth Warren is actively reshaping the 2028 Democratic primary before a single candidate has officially declared, using her influence over policy and personnel to steer the party's direction on issues from child care to corporate regulation.
The Massachusetts senator is meeting privately with moderate governors who could emerge as top-tier candidates, signaling that even centrists seeking the presidency know they need to court the progressive wing. She held tea with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear this month and maintains regular contact with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to people familiar with the discussions.
These aren't casual conversations. Warren is using the meetings to test whether potential nominees understand her policy priorities. When Beshear discussed expanding pre-K access in Kentucky, Warren said she thought: "This is someone who gets it. He's not checking the box."
Her influence extends deeper than candidate meetings. Newsom recently tapped Rohit Chopra, one of Warren's key allies, to lead a new consumer agency in California. The move comes months after Warren was spotted dining with Newsom in San Francisco. The signal is clear: align with Warren's agenda and gain access to her network of loyal operatives.
Warren is also working with fellow progressives positioned for 2028 runs. She and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have teamed up on legislation, with AOC co-leading a House bill in February to implement universal child care. Warren praised AOC for doing "the hard work and digs deep on policy."
At the same time, Warren is signaling displeasure with candidates who don't meet her standards. She publicly criticized Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 campaign for failing to firmly commit to keeping FTC Chair Lina Khan, a Warren protégé who aggressively targets corporate monopolies.
"To her credit, the vice president didn't promise to fire Lina Khan," Warren said. "But she didn't promise not to fire her, either."
The effort reflects Warren's ambition to shape the entire Democratic primary rather than run herself. She lost her 2020 bid but gained real power by installing allies throughout the Biden administration. Now she's leveraging that experience to ensure the next Democratic president takes her priorities seriously.
Not everyone welcomes her influence. Liam Kerr, co-founder of the center-left WelcomePAC, expressed frustration that candidates are courting someone whose track record includes a failed 2020 campaign and a subsequent hiring spree in Biden's administration.
"Elizabeth Warren literally hired 1,000 people for her presidential campaign, got 7% in South Carolina, and then seemingly hired 1,000 people into the Biden administration," Kerr said. "Not sure which of those three things candidates want advice on, but hopefully not the last one."
Warren has also been laying down markers about what she expects from the field. At a Center for American Progress summit last week, she argued that 2028 candidates must prioritize child care.
Some centrist Democrats worry that Warren has successfully pushed the party too far left on issues like consumer protection and corporate regulation. But her ability to place allies in positions of power and her access to top-tier candidates show her influence over the primary field is substantial, regardless of their ideological concerns.
Author James Rodriguez: "Warren isn't running, but she's orchestrating the whole show, and candidates are lining up for her blessing."
Comments