Here's why Elizabeth Warren announced her presidential run so early

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Here's why Elizabeth Warren announced her presidential run so early

December 31, 2018

.polaris__post-meta--date { display: none; } .polaris__post-meta--date.no-script { display: block; padding-left: 45px } December 31, 2018

Sen. Elizabeth Warren's (D-Mass.) Monday revelation of her nascent presidential run didn't come as a big surprise. What's also unsurprising is just how early she's getting started.

The progressive senator broadened the name of her campaign Twitter account Saturday, leading many to believe she'd make her run official soon. And on Monday, the announcement of her 2020 exploratory committee made her the first major Democrat to join the field.

This year-end revelation could bring some big advantages if Warren has already rounded up some sizable fundraising dollars, as Rufus Gifford, the finance director for former President Barack Obama's 2012 campaign explains.

Elizabeth Warren must think she can put up huge $$ numbers on her January report - scaring others out of the race. Only reason I can figure you'd launch a Presidential Campaign on New Year's Eve. It's exciting that the first high profile candidate is out there... Game on 2020
— Rufus Gifford (@rufusgifford) December 31, 2018

The New York Times' Astead Herndon also pointed out that, though it's early, President Trump is sure to bring out a good number of Democratic opponents. It could be hard for Warren to get a top-notch strategist if more popular candidates, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) or former Vice President Joe Biden, announced before her.

Our reporting is that the announcement timing is not only about raising money, but staffing. In what figures to be a crowded field, announcing early allows formal job offers to ramp up infrastructure in key states. https://t.co/UQ3FZzYE6z https://t.co/tZa0jkm7gk
— Steadman (@AsteadWesley) December 31, 2018

Warren's early plunge also sets the tone for the Democratic primary. She's still trailing Sanders, Biden, and other Democrats in primary polls, but Warren's inequality-centric video announcement makes it clear "populist messaging will be front and center" in 2020, Herndon tweeted.