Sen. Elizabeth Warren long has been a hero on the progressive left, but her popularity among the Democratic Party establishment is growing rapidly.
Ms. Warren, Massachusetts Democrat, now is set to assume a leadership role in her party’s Senate caucus, and the leaders of that caucus say she’s uniquely qualified for the job.
“I think [Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid, all of us, have confidence that Elizabeth Warren is a great spokesman for our caucus and for our party on a national basis,” said Sen. Dick Durbin, Illinois Democrat and the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate.
Mr. Durbin appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday morning.
Last week, Mr. Reid announced that Ms. Warren would join the caucus leadership as a “strategic adviser” to the Democratic Policy and Communications Center. Some political pundits view the move as proof Democratic leaders believe the party must move further to the left.
Ms. Warren has developed a cult following among progressives who see her as the voice of a growing populist movement within the party. Some liberal groups say Democratic Party losses in the midterm elections partly were due to candidates not embracing Ms. Warren’s positions — such as tighter restrictions on Wall Street and an expansion of entitlement programs — forcefully enough.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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