Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren reaffirmed on Wednesday that she will not run for president in 2016 and pledged to finish her current term, which ends in 2018.
“I am not running for president,” she said at a press conference in Boston. “I am working as hard as I can to be the best possible senator I can be.”
While Warren has repeatedly denied any interest in a campaign for higher office, progressives have fanned speculation that she could be a competitive candidate in the next presidential contest.
Warren told reporters that she plans to continue fighting for the issues she campaigned on: more financial sector accountability and a thriving middle class.
When asked again about her political ambitions by another reporter, the senator reaffirmed her statement. “I pledge to serve out my term,” she said, standing with Boston Mayor-elect Martin Walsh.
Hillary Clinton, the heir apparent to her party’s nomination in 2016, has generated the most excitement in the still-far-off race, according to recent polling. Warren was asked whether she foresees a split in the Democratic Party going into 2016, particularly between Clinton’s more centrist platform and Warren’s progressive stance.
“It’s not how pundits want to describe different parts of the process. The way I see it right now is about the changes we need to make. It’s how we build a future going forward,” she said. “We need to get Congress in line with where the American people are. This is not about ideology. This is about concrete ways to help strengthen America’s working families.”
Clare Kim