I, along with many other women, really believed in her ability to win the election. But once the caucuses and primaries began, and it was clear that so few people were voting for her, I started to lose hope. Then it was official. I saw on Twitter the morning after Super Tuesday that she was ending her campaign.
What was upsetting about the way Elizabeth Warren’s campaign ended is not just that it ended, but what it means.
Warren represented something to women. She is a driven and accomplished woman working in politics who got so far in the election process – farther than most women get at all. That’s something we can respect on its own.
She represented the same thing Hillary Clinton represented in 2016; Warren’s campaign was hopeful.
We saw a woman who was competent and ready to take the job of president seriously. She may have started her political career as a Republican, but she did eventually cross the aisle and become a Democrat. And once that happened, she went full steam. She has supported legislation on abortion, LGBT rights and equal pay.
Her campaign showed us the image of a president who wanted to fight not just for women, but everyone that the system has been failing for so long.
Like I said, I’m a bit heartbroken that Warren ended her campaign. Heartbroken, but not at all surprised.
I kept my eyes glued to election results as states held caucuses and primaries. She wasn’t exactly getting the votes she needed. People were voting for Bernie Sanders or Joe Biden. Some people even voted for Mike Bloomberg or Pete Buttigieg.
Part of me saw the end of her campaign nearing, though another part of me didn’t want to believe it. Warren ending her campaign increased my chances of having to vote for Biden in the general election – something I absolutely do not want to do, but will if I have to.
Qualified women apply for jobs that they absolutely deserve all the time. And often, they don’t get it, whether that be because the process that goes into the job is tainted by people who don’t want a woman in that position, or because someone more qualified is also trying for that position.
Sanders is absolutely just as qualified as Warren to be the president; I have no doubt in that. I don’t think either was more qualified than the other, though. I would have loved to see the two of them at the end and voters deciding between two equally competent Democratic candidates.
But that didn’t happen. We’re instead seeing Biden where I think Warren should be. It’s only a little disappointing. OK, maybe it’s very disappointing.
On Super Tuesday, I voted for Warren while wondering what the odds were that I’d to get to vote for her again in November. On my way out of my polling place, I considered the chances of voting for Sanders or Biden.
I’m going to continue to keep my eye on the elections and primaries that are happening over the next few months. I’m going to watch and hope that I’ll be voting for Sanders in November, since I won’t be voting for Elizabeth Warren.
