Surprise! Looks Like Elizabeth Warren Is Running for President!

She's the highest-profile candidate to jump in.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D–Mass.) announced today that she's forming an exploratory committee for a 2020 presidential run.

In a video emailed to supporters and posted to YouTube, Warren describes herself as an average American who came from a working-class family that often struggled to make ends meet. "America's middle class is under attack," she says. "How did we get here? Billionaires and big corporations decided they wanted more of the pie. And they enlisted politicians to cut them a bigger slice."

The announcement itself is in no way surprising—though as The Washington Post notes, the timing (on New Year's Eve) is somewhat curious. But it does make a certain amount of sense. There are many major potential Democratic candidates for 2020, but so far only Rep. John Delaney (D–Md.) and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro have said they'll likely run. Warren could now have an early advantage over other possible high-profile contenders, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I–Vt.) and Cory Booker (D–N.J.), former Vice President Joe Biden, and outgoing Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D–Texas).

Warren still isn't officially running for president. The formation of an exploratory committee simply means that she's testing the waters for a potential run. But exploratory committees usually lead to an official announcement later on. Barring a big scandal, it's hard to imagine a scenario where the Massachusetts Democrat decides not to run.

As president, Warren would likely champion a variety of progressive causes. You can read more about her policy views here.