Like her or hate her, Elizabeth Warren this week unequivocally told Fortune's Sheila Bair [7] "No," she would not run for President, reflecting that for a Democratic nominee to win, "they need to speak to America’s families about the economic crisis in this country. It starts with the recognition that Washington works for the rich and powerful and not for America’s families." We bring this up, since, as OpenSecrets reports, [8] despite her reputation as an anti-Wall Street populist, Warren would have been the wealthiest of the potential 2016 presidential candidates currently serving in Congress.
Via Forbes,
So are you going to run for President?
No.
What does the Democratic nominee need to do to win in 2016?
They need to speak to America’s families about the economic crisis in this country. It starts with the recognition that Washington works for the rich and powerful and not for America’s families.
But Why?
[9]
Perhaps this is the reason... (via Open Secrets) [8]
Despite her reputation as an anti-Wall Street populist, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is the wealthiest of the potential 2016 presidential candidates currently serving in Congress, with an estimated net worth of $6.7 million as of Dec. 31, 2013.
Four other current members are weighing runs: Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Vice President Joe Biden, technically a member of the Senate, is also thought to be mulling over a bid for the Oval Office.
Former Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), who left the Senate in 2012, became the first to officially join the Democratic field when he launched an exploratory committee in November.
Based on his 2012 annual report, Webb is the second wealthiest of the group with an estimated net worth of $4.6 million.
Of those seven possible candidates, four are millionaires — something that has become the norm in today’s Congress.
...
Cruz is the wealthiest Republican potential White House hopeful who’s now in Congress, with a 2013 estimated net worth of $3.2 million.
Paul, a former practicing ophthalmologist, is also likely a millionaire — his net worth was estimated at $1.3 million in 2013.
As for the remaining three, Biden, Rubio and Sanders were worth an estimated $543,000, $444,000 and $331,000 respectively in 2013, according to their financial disclosures.
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According to Center for Responsive Politics research, the average estimated net worth for members of Congress was more than $1 million in 2013.
