Endorsements are a useful tool for politicians to influence both voters and each other, and with the 2020 presidential election kicking into high gear, new ones are coming out almost daily. Among Democratic freshman congresswomen, former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren are currently tied for the highest number of endorsements, according to FiveThirtyEight.
Ahead, we’ll keep a running list of who the freshman women in the U.S. House and Senate — part of the most diverse class in history that has already shaken up D.C. — are endorsing in the 2020 Democratic primary. We will update this story as more information becomes available.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren
Rep. Lori Trahan (Massachusetts), Feb. 9, 2019: Trahan joined Warren at her presidential-campaign kickoff rally back in February. “For too long, Washington has tinkered around the edges of our most pressing issues while the middle class struggles just to stay afloat,” Trahan said in a statement. “No more. I am proud to stand with Sen. Warren in this fight to restore decency and a sense of our common values to the presidency and put a worker-focused economic agenda front and center.” In October, Warren returned the favor by endorsing Trahan in her reelection bid.
Rep. Deb Haaland (New Mexico), July 30, 2019: “Elizabeth has been a great friend to me, and more importantly a great partner for Indian Country,” Haaland, who is one of two Native American women in Congress, tweeted. Haaland’s endorsement reportedly split the Native American community because of the controversy regarding Warren’s claims of Cherokee ancestry. Warren has cosponsored Savanna’s Act, which would improve federal response to the epidemic of violence against Native American women. Together, Warren and Haaland have released a proposal to “protect tribal sovereignty and make investments in Indian Country.”
Rep. Katie Porter (California), Oct. 26, 2019: “I’m excited to continue this fight for the middle class with my friend and mentor. Elizabeth is the person I trust to take on corruption in Washington and I’m proud to announce my endorsement,” Porter tweeted. Porter reportedly held out on making her endorsement for a while because she considers both Warren and fellow Californian Sen. Kamala Harris her mentors and has long-standing relationships with them. Both endorsed her in her 2018 run for Congress. “I adore Elizabeth and Kamala,” Porter told HuffPost recently. “I think either of them would be terrific presidents. I’m very enthusiastic and supportive of both of them, and that’s where it stands.”
I’m excited to continue this fight for the middle-class with my friend and mentor. Elizabeth is the person I trust to take on corruption in Washington and I’m proud to announce my endorsement. See you in Iowa next Sunday, @ewarren! pic.twitter.com/HiCvpvAiW7
— Katie Porter (@katieporteroc) October 26, 2019
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (Massachusetts), Nov. 6, 2019: Pressley endorsed and recently hit the campaign trail with Warren. “I have seen Ms. Warren in small church basements and in packed gymnasiums,” Pressley said in a video announcement. “And she is consistent. She never loses sight of the people. You’ve all heard about the senator’s plans — but here’s the thing. Her plans are about power: who has it, who refuses to let it go, and who deserves more of it.” While some Sanders supporters had strong words for her on Twitter for splitting from the rest of the Squad, who all endorsed Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responded to her tweet of the endorsement with a single purple heart, showing that while they may differ in their allegiances, they’re still friends.
Big structural change can’t wait. pic.twitter.com/8Sanof9COD
— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) November 6, 2019
Joe Biden
Rep. Abby Finkenauer (Iowa), Jan. 2, 2020: “Joe Biden’s character, record, and commitment to rebuilding the backbone of the country — the middle class — is what Iowa and this country needs,” Finkenauer said.
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (Pennsylvania), Jan. 5, 2020: “Our country needs a steady hand, someone who can help heal the country, an experienced and proven leader who can build teams with deep expertise and work across the aisle,” Houlahan said. “Like me, he believes that in this polarized environment, real change will come from pragmatic solutions that help working families. Pennsylvania is not red or blue, but a purple place which our next president needs to carry to win.”
Rep. Elaine Luria (Virginia), Jan. 5, 2020: “[Joe Biden] will defeat Donald Trump and win tough districts like mine,” Luria said. “When he walks into the Oval Office, he will immediately get to work, rebuild the middle class, and restore our standing on the world stage.”
Rep. Cindy Axne (Iowa), Jan. 25, 2020: “He is who I believe is the one sure bet to beat Donald Trump,” Axne said.
Sen. Bernie Sanders
Rep. Ilhan Omar (Minnesota), Oct. 15, 2019: At a rally in Minnesota, the Somali-American congresswoman said she was “honored to stand with the son of a Jewish refugee who survived genocide.” Sanders has consistently defended Omar against anti-Muslim attacks and accusations of anti-Semitism.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (New York), Oct. 19, 2019: One of the most sought-after endorsements in progressive politics, Ocasio-Cortez has admitted that choosing between Warren and Sanders would be tough. But ultimately Sanders aligns more with her socialist ideas and the diverse, working-class movement she is seeking to build. She officially announced her endorsement while appearing alongside him at a rally in Queens, his first since surviving a heart attack.
“Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Ilhan Omar, and Rep. Rashida Tlaib have always lead with courage by unwaveringly fighting for the working people of our country, and their endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders is no exception,” Belén Sisa, Bernie 2020 Latino press secretary, told Refinery29. “These women are leading by example, showing that the only way we’ll defeat Trump and gain justice for all is by coming together and building a multi-racial coalition that will go far beyond this election, which is exactly what Bernie is doing.”
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (Michigan), Oct. 27, 2019: Tlaib, who calls Sanders “Amo Bernie” (“Amo” means “uncle” in Arabic), praised him for defending the Squad against attacks. “I think Amo Bernie, when he saw, not just myself but my other sisters in service being attacked by this president, this bully, for him there was no hesitation,” Tlaib said in a video announcing her endorsement. “He jumped on board and said, ‘What can I do to uplift you all? What can I do to support you all?’”
Michael Bloomberg
Rep. Mikie Sherrill (New Jersey), Feb. 6, 2020: “His unwavering commitment to making our schools and streets safe from gun violence, investing in our region’s infrastructure, creating opportunities for our veterans, and protecting our environment is proof that Mike Bloomberg won’t back down from the many serious challenges we face as a country,” Sherrill said.
Rep. Haley Stevens (Michigan), Feb. 8, 2020: “I know Mike Bloomberg will help grow Michigan’s manufacturing economy, because I worked with him in the past to create advanced manufacturing jobs,” Stevens said.
Rep. Lucy McBath (Georgia), Feb. 12, 2020: McBath, an anti-gun violence activist whose son was shot and killed, worked with Bloomberg on gun-regulation issues long before she was elected to Congress in 2018. Bloomberg cofounded and funded the Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, which spent $1.25 million on McBath’s election.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar
Rep. Angie Craig (Minnesota), Feb. 10, 2019: In a video from the Minnesota senator’s snowy presidential-campaign kickoff rally, Craig said, “We need a little bit of Midwest common sense in the White House.”
Proud to endorse #AmyforAmerica and put a little Midwest common sense in the White House. pic.twitter.com/NllKD4MKcu
— Angie Craig (@AngieCraigMN) February 10, 2019
Sen. Kamala Harris (Dropped Out)
Rep. Jahana Hayes (Connecticut), July 3, 2019: In an op-ed for Essence, Hayes, a former teacher, praised Harris’ policies, such as giving teachers a raise. “Informed by her upbringing, Kamala has presented a policy agenda focused on increasing access for ALL Americans, lifting families up to ensure no child has to be told that something is not possible,” Hayes wrote.
Sen. Cory Booker (Dropped Out)
Rep. Mikie Sherrill (New Jersey), Feb. 21, 2019: “He has fought for criminal justice reform and to strengthen middle-class families, and I know first-hand from working with him while at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark that he will continue that fight for all Americans as President of the United States,” Sherrill said in a statement. After Booker dropped out, Sherrill went on to endorse Michael Bloomberg.
Beto O’Rourke (Dropped Out)
Rep. Veronica Escobar (Texas), March 14, 2019
Jay Inslee (Dropped Out)
Rep. Kim Schrier (Washington), May 23, 2019
Members of Congress who have not (yet) endorsed a candidate:
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (Arizona)
Sen. Jacky Rosen (Nevada)
Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (Arizona)
Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (Florida)
Rep. Donna Shalala (Florida)
Rep. Lauren Underwood (Illinois)
Rep. Sharice Davids (Kansas)
Rep. Elissa Slotkin (Michigan)
Rep. Susie Lee (Nevada)
Rep. Xochitl Torres Small (New Mexico)
Rep. Kendra Horn (Oklahoma)
Rep. Madeleine Dean (Pennsylvania)
Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (Texas)
Rep. Sylvia Garcia (Texas)
Rep. Abigail Spanberger (Virginia)
Rep. Jennifer Wexton (Virginia)
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