During the national democratic debate on October 15, Elizabeth Warren established herself as a frontrunner for the 2019 Democratic Presidential candidacy. A seven-year veteran of the Senate representing Massachusetts, she is proving to be a worthy opponent to other presidential hopefuls. Standing on the Medicare-for-all platform, many voters find her middle class support a breath of fresh air in politics today, however, Warren is not without her critics. 

After her election into the Senate, she faced many criticisms regarding her Native American heritage. In order to remain transparent, Warren completed a DNA test focusing on her genealogy. The results, however, showed Warren to be of less than 1/512 Native American background. After the results of the DNA test were released, Warren made a public apology for the misrepresentation of her heritage. “I am sorry for furthering confusion on tribal sovereignty” Warren said during an interview with CNN.

Despite her misrepresentation, the media attention she had received made her a topic of discussion in many households across the country, positioning her as an easily recognizable presidential candidate. Her over-exposure in media headlines made it possible for her to discuss other relevant issues she sought to address during her possible presidency. In addition to her stance on universal health care, Warren also has come out in support of the “Ultra-Millionaire Tax,” the living wage increase to $15, and the controversial “Green New Deal,” to name a few subjects of discussion.

Warren also addressed another controversial issue in the public eye, abortion, which she has come out in support of. “Thanks to Roe [vs. Wade], getting an abortion is safer than getting your tonsils out” Warren remarked in 2018 during the Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation. While this is a touchy topic for most candidates with presidential hopes, Warren has remained very vocal of her stance on the subject. 

As the announcement of the Democratic Presidential Candidacy draws near, the nation will certainly be keeping their eyes on what could be the first female President of the United States of America.