Is Elizabeth Warren’s presidential bid doomed? Democrat senator struggles to shake criticism of her Native American claims
- Questions about Warren’s heritage date to at least 2012, when her Republican opponent seized on the issue during her first Senate campaign
- US President Donald Trump frequently deploys a racial slur to criticise Warren
US Senator Elizabeth Warren, days from formally launching her 2020 presidential campaign, faced criticism for claiming she was Native American in the 1980s and concern from fellow Democrats over her handling of the issue.
The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that the Massachusetts Democrat described herself as “American Indian”in a form to join the Texas legal bar in the 1980s, the latest twist in the six-year saga during which she has been unable to quiet critics who say she failed to recognise the importance of tribal sovereignty.
Fellow 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls remained quiet, while others in the party worried the controversy could cause her campaign to falter even before she formally announces on Saturday.
“They mishandled it from the minute that she was presented with evidence that she isn’t Native American,” said Scott Ferson, a Democratic strategist in Boston.
This week’s news about Warren comes as Democrats grapple with accusations of racial insensitivity after the Democratic governor and attorney general in Virginia admitted to wearing blackface in the 1980s.