If Elizabeth Warren had run, could she have won the Democratic nomination?

[Chief Justice Keef]

She's a very popular candidate among progressives and leftists. If primary season was Clinton vs. Warren instead of Clinton vs. Sanders, could she have won the party's nomination?

I think she could've gained votes from Bernie supporters, and she could also reach women voters. I think she'd also render Clinton's "first woman president" argument useless, unlike this primary season where Clinton surrogates got away with calling "BernieBros" sexist for voting against Hillary.

[IceSpear]

Possibly, but she still would've been a very heavy underdog.

I don't see her gaining much more traction with minorities than Bernie did. She would've been more acceptable to the establishment, but they still would've heavily backed Hillary. She would've done better among women, but worse among men (identity politics works both ways, you know.) Bernie being a self identified socialist and independent (not a Democrat) also helped him invigorate elements of the left, particularly the youngs. I don't think Warren would've been able to excite the youngs as much as Bernie did.

[Ebsy]

There is no way Warren could have duplicated the cult of personality surrounding Sanders.

[evergreenarbor]

I don't think Warren would've been able to excite the youngs as much as Bernie did.

You would be surprised. I'm a student at a progressive college here in Washington, and students here love Elizabeth Warren. I think she could have done about as well as Bernie did with young Democrats.

I think Elizabeth Warren could have won, but she would be an underdog. I would expect her to do better than Bernie did in the Northeast, South, and possibly West Coast, but worse in the Mountain West and possibly the Midwest.

[Ljube]

Yes.

[Trump v. Wong Kim Ark]

Yes.

[Interlocutor]

She certainly would have made some eastern states more competitive, particularly New York and Pennsylvania. Outside of a few solid wins in Massachusetts and maybe Pennsylvania, I still see Hillary getting a good 55-45 win. Closer for sure, but maybe strong enough for Warren to be the VP pick by this point

[Fuzzy Bear]

Yes.

Trump calling her Pocahontas would have driven her up in the polls.

[Protect Trans Hoosiers]

She would have done worse than Sanders, because at least Bernie had Bros.

[Hermit For Peace]

No. She is too inexperienced. Compared with Hillary, Elizabeth is a baby.

[IceSpear]

She would have done worse than Sanders, because at least Bernie had Bros.

Yes, I don't there would've been any ElizaBros.

[CivicParticipant]

Probably not. Not sure the country is ready for someone that partisan..

[Suburbia]

Probably not. Not sure the country is ready for someone that partisan..

This. Elizabeth Warren would have done well in New Hampshire and the Northeast. She would have probably led Clinton nationally in the polls in the fall of 2015. She may have done better than Sanders among black voters, maybe, but Clinton would have still beaten her because:

1) Hillary Clinton is more experienced than Warren in gutter national politics. Warren only ran for the 2012 Massachusetts Senate election. Outside of Boston, no one knows about her past.

[Nichlemn]

Possibly. But note that, in the end, Sanders didn't really come all that close. Nor did Clinton go as hard on Sanders as she could have. So Warren could have done a few points better than Sanders and still lost.

[Shameless Lefty Hack]

Think of Sanders but with a stronger inner circle running the campaign.

Tough but definite victory.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

I'm not sure. I'd lean toward no.

[Mister Mets]

Yes.

Look at how Sanders did. Warren would have some addiitional demographic advantages and institutional support.

[Mr. Morden]

Possibly. But note that, in the end, Sanders didn't really come all that close. Nor did Clinton go as hard on Sanders as she could have. So Warren could have done a few points better than Sanders and still lost.

Yeah.  Clinton never even bothered to run any negative ads against Sanders.  I think Warren would have presented a bigger threat to winning the nomination than Sanders ever did, and so Clinton would have taken her more seriously than she did Sanders.  So in the end, her vote totals might not have actually been any higher than Sanders's numbers IRL, despite her having a better shot at winning than he did.