Elizabeth Warren Named to Senate Democratic Leadership for 115th Congress: Another Step Toward 2020 White House Run?

Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts will remain among the leadership ranks for the Senate Democrats next year, keeping her strongly positioned within the party's power structure as well as for a highly anticipated 2020 White House run.

Warren, the first-term senator who currently serves in party leadership as Strategic Policy Advisor to the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, will become Vice Chair of the Conference when the 115th Congress convenes in January, newly elected Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York announced Wednesday.

Schumer, who has said he will seek opportunities to work with President-elect Donald Trump, could find himself at odds with Warren as she continues to position herself, along with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, as one of the most hard-line critics of Trump and his forthcoming administration — a position that may have less to do with governing and more to do with a potential 2020 election face-off.

In a speech last week before a meeting of the AFL-CIO in Washington, Warren told union leaders: “We will stand up to bigotry. No compromises ever on this one. We will fight back against attacks on Latinos, on African Americans, on women, on Muslims, on immigrants, on disabled Americans, on anyone."

She added: “Whether Donald Trump sits in a glass tower or sits in the White House, we will not give an inch on this, not now, not ever."

In a letter on Tuesday, Warren called Trump out for personnel choices, saying, "you already appear to be failing" to keep the promises made throughout the campaign season.

"Within days of your election, you have elevated a slew of Wall Street bankers, industry insiders, and special interest lobbyists to your transition team," she wrote. "Even more are rumored to be named as potential cabinet members. Based on public reports, your transition team and your potential cabinet include over twenty Wall Street elites, industry insiders, and lobbyists making decisions that could have huge implications for their clients or employers."

Warren routinely hit Trump in support of Hillary Clinton throughout the 2016 election season, calling him everything from a "nasty little bully" to a man with a "dark and ugly soul."

In recent days, Warren has also thrown her name behind Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota for Democratic National Committee chairman, cementing his standing as the early front-runner to lead the national party through a massive rebuilding effort following last week’s disastrous election results.

“Keith and I have had the chance to work together many times over the past several years,” Warren said in a statement. “I’ve watched up close as he has pushed hard to try to hold Wall Street accountable through his work on House Financial Services, and he has consistently exercised bold leadership for the Congressional Progressive Caucus. I admire Keith’s values, his grit, and his dedication to making this country work not just for some of our kids, but for all of them. I’m proud to support his candidacy for Chair of the Democratic National Committee."

Warren is joined in leadership positions by Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Patty Murray of Washington, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Mark Warner of Virginia, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Sanders of Vermont, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin.

Schumer posted the leadership assignments on Twitter:

Photo credit: Senate Democrats via Flickr Commons