Elizabeth Warren: 5 things to know
Sen.Elizabeth Warren has fought a high-profile battle to capture the Democratic party's progressive wing. Here are five things to know about her as the 2020 presidential election cycle is officially underway.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., has fought a high-profile battle with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to capture the Democratic party's progressive wing and present general election voters with an option for "big, structural change" in November. An early favorite to secure the party's nomination, Warren and her campaign outlasted those of two of her fellow well-known senators: Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Cory Booker, D-N.J.
Here are five things to know about Warren as the 2020 presidential election cycle is officially underway.
1. She had to apologize for claiming to be a Native American
After taking DNA test and publicizing its results -- that she was between 1/64 and 1/1024 Native American -- Warren was forced to apologize to Cherokee Nation for claiming Native American ancestry in her past.
"Senator Warren has reached out to us and has apologized to the tribe. We are encouraged by this dialogue and understanding that being a Cherokee Nation tribal citizen is rooted in centuries of culture and laws, not through DNA tests,” Cherokee Nation spokeswoman Julie Hubbard said in a statement in early 2019.
ELIZABETH WARREN APOLOGIZES TO CHEROKEE NATION FOR TAKING DNA TEST TO PROVE NATIVE-AMERICAN ROOTS
Warren had previously claimed to be a minority when applying for jobs and has been given the nickname "Pocahontas" by President Trump.
2. She's a big CFPB fan
Many of Warren's policy proposals involve creating new departments or bureaus in the executive branch, and she already has experience doing that.
BUREAUCRACY BONANZA? WARREN'S PLANS WOULD CREATE PLETHORA OF NEW FEDERAL OFFICES
Warren was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which monitors and regulates consumer financial products, during the Obama administration.
3. She has a plan for that
One of the hallmarks of Warren's campaign is that she is a policy wonk -- someone who doesn't just have ideas but comes prepared with a detailed road map of how to make those ideas happen.
Warren's campaign website includes dozens of plans for prospective voters to peruse, from how to cancel student loan debt to universal child care to ending private prisons.
4. She's a former law professor
After practicing law for a short time after getting her J.D., Warren went back to teaching in public schools, which she said was her preferred job. She later got to combine her passions, embarking on a 30-plus-year career as a law professor.
Warren taught at prestigious schools including the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University, according to her website.
5. She had one child and was pregnant with a second by the time she graduated law school
Warren's first child was born when she was a 22-year-old teacher, according to her website. Soon after, she went to law school and graduated while eight months pregnant.
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Warren advocates for universal child care on the campaign trail, citing her experience with what she says was sexist discrimination against her as part of her argument.
Fox News' Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
