Elizabeth Warren jumps into Democratic primary battles across the country

Sen. Elizabeth Warren took sides in two competitive Senate primaries on Thursday, part of a broadening play to reshape her party in a handful of important races — and push back on party leaders in one of the most critical battleground campaigns of 2026

Sen. Elizabeth Warren took sides in two competitive Senate primaries on Thursday, part of a broadening play to reshape her party in a handful of important races — and push back on party leaders in one of the most critical battleground campaigns of 2026.

The Massachusetts senator on Thursday backed state Sen. Zach Wahls in the Iowa Senate race and Graham Platner, an oyster farmer and military veteran, in Maine. On Wednesday, she endorsed state Sen. Malloy McMorrow in the hotly contested Democratic Senate primary in Michigan.

Warren has also put her stamp on other competitive Senate primaries, giving endorsements to Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, and Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, who won the Democratic nomination in her state on Tuesday.

Add NBC News to GoogleJuliana Stratton says ‘I am the fighter’ voters are ‘looking for’ after Illinois primary win10:16“The best way to make big, structural changes to lower cost and root out corruption in Washington is to elect more fighters to the U.S. Senate,” Warren said in a statement to NBC News. “These candidates are inspiring people with authentic, grassroots-powered campaigns and they are leaders ready to fight on behalf of working families getting squeezed by a rigged system.”

Warren’s preferred candidates typically support populist policies, often criticizing billionaires and corporations, and they reject contributions from corporate PACs. Warren has also described each one as a “fighter” when she announced her endorsements.