Why Warren is unlikely to endorse Sanders in 2020 race

NEW YORK • Senator Elizabeth Warren, whose endorsement became highly coveted in the Democratic presidential race after she dropped out last week, is unlikely to give her support to her ideological ally Bernie Sanders, several people close to her said, even though Mr Sanders is looking for political lifelines as he struggles against former vice-president Joe Biden.

Ms Warren is expected to withhold her endorsement from Senator Sanders as well as Mr Biden at this point, choosing to let the primary play out rather than seeking to change its course, according to several people familiar with Ms Warren's thinking, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Even before Mr Sanders lost four states in Tuesday's primaries, dealing a huge blow to his presidential hopes, Ms Warren was reluctant to support him, these people said.

The spirited presidential campaign caused some rifts between the two liberals, including their clash in January over whether Mr Sanders had once told her that a woman could not be elected president this year, an episode that deeply troubled Ms Warren.

Her camp also viewed Mr Sanders' electoral standing as fading in recent weeks, raising doubts about whether an endorsement would be a lost cause.

Ms Warren has spoken to Mr Biden once since Super Tuesday, but multiple times to Mr Sanders, as she and her team have fielded overtures from Sanders supporters seeking to coax her to his aid.

Some of the Vermont senator's prominent online supporters have clamoured for Ms Warren to get behind his campaign, given how closely the two politicians are aligned on policy matters.

But Mr Sanders' highest-profile surrogate, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, has said she understood Ms Warren's hesitation, and suggested that it was a teachable moment for the left.

"I always want to see us come together as a progressive wing," Ms Ocasio-Cortez said. "I think that's important and where we draw strength from. But at the same time, I come from the lens of an organiser, and if someone doesn't do what you want, you don't blame them - you ask why. And you don't demand that answer of that person. You reflect. And that reflection is where you can grow."

The lopsided results on Tuesday, when Mr Sanders lost every county in Michigan, Missouri and Mississippi, further hardened Ms Warren's decision, said a person close to the Massachusetts senator.

Those close to Ms Warren also said her foremost reason for not endorsing Mr Sanders is simple: Since her exit from the race, his path to victory has looked unlikely.

They doubt that Ms Warren, even as the most prominent former candidate to have not backed another primary contender so far, could reverse Mr Sanders' fortunes at this point, and fear that she risks squandering valuable political capital if she tries to do so and fails.

It was also not clear what difference Ms Warren might have made in addressing Mr Sanders' glaring vulnerability with black voters, with whom Ms Warren had shown little sway herself.

Ms Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, who endorsed Ms Warren in her personal capacity, was among those who spoke to the senator after Super Tuesday.

"It made tremendous sense for her to stay on the sidelines so she could play the role of unifier," said Ms Weingarten, who declined to discuss her private conversation with Ms Warren.

Mr Brian Fallon, who worked for Mrs Hillary Clinton in 2016 and is now a progressive strategist, was doubtful that Ms Warren's backing would have significantly helped Mr Sanders. He also said it might not have "sat well with the coalition she ended the race with", which was dominated by college-educated white women.

"Why would she want to make her endorsement seem less powerful by giving it to somebody on a downward trajectory?" he added.

Ms Warren stayed neutral in the primary between Mr Sanders and Mrs Clinton four years ago.

Meanwhile, about 30 former staff members of Ms Warren's have signed an open letter supporting Mr Sanders. One of them tweeted that Ms Warren's unwillingness to support Mr Sanders made her "really sad".

NYTIMES