Story highlights
Elizabeth Warren spoke at the Center for American Progress "Making Progress" conference
Warren argued that Democratic policies won in 2014 even if Democrats themselves didn't
Warren is considered a major figure in the liberal wing of her party
Democrats lost big on Election Night in 2014, but Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts argued Wednesday that some of the results were positive for the liberal wing of her party.
“Here is the second piece of really good news, we know what to do and the American people get it. They are ready,” Warren said at the Center for American Progress “Making Progress” policy conference at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington. She then launched into a portion of her speech about how some post-election polls found that battle ground voters stood closer to Democrats on certain issues.
In particular, Warren highlighted a Hart Research project of battleground voters in 11 states across the country. The survey was conducted for the the AFL-CIO, a labor group.
The Hart survey found that despite sending Republicans to Congress and to take control of the Senate, a majority of voters wanted to raise taxes on the wealthy, raise the minimum wage to $10.10 and increase funding for public schools from preschool to college.
“People across this country get it,” Warren said. “Sure, there is a lot of work to be done and there is a long way to go before Democrats can reclaim the right to say we are righting for America’s people.”
She added. “No, we are not there yet. But don’t forget the good news: Our agenda is America’s agenda.”
Warren, who is seen as the liberal heart of her party, was elevated to leadership after the trouncing her party took at the ballot box in November.
Liberal groups have also argued that the 2014 election proved that liberal Democratic policies, like those Warren championed on Wednesday, are the future of the party.
“Warren was the most popular Democrat on the campaign trail for a reason: Her message of taking on Wall Street, reducing student debt, and expanding Social Security benefits is popular everywhere,” wrote Adam Green and Stephanie Taylor, heads of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, in an opinion-editorial for The Hill. “Focusing on big ideas is the path forward for progressives and Democrats. The Warren wing of American politics is ready to lead.”