Warren dismisses Dem divisions as lawmakers rally around single-payer

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D) dismissed conflict inside the Democratic Party on Friday in a new interview, noting that Democrats are rallying around health care and other issues.

Warren told the editorial board of The Republican on Friday that the Democratic Party has found agreement on the idea that health care should be a guaranteed right for all citizens.

“One party in America said it was OK to roll back health care coverage for 25 million Americans and one party in America thinks that health care is a basic human right — I’m ready to go on that one,” she said Friday.

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She added that the true strength of the Democratic Party doesn’t come from the party elites, but rather the grassroots activists who shifted the party left on health care.

“We don’t live in a world where a handful of insiders get to run the Democratic Party — we just don’t live in that world,” Warren insisted. “We live in a world where the heart and soul of the Democratic Party is down at the grassroots — this health care fight has shown the power of the grassroots.

“It’s not only that people have shown it to themselves and to each other, they’ve shown it to the leadership, as well,” she added.

Warren on Thursday announced she would join Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) in co-sponsoring legislation from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) establishing a single-payer Medicare-for-all health care system.

“I believe it’s time to take a step back and ask: what is the best way to deliver high quality, low-cost health care to all Americans?” Warren said in a statement Thursday.

“Everything should be on the table — and that’s why I’m co-sponsoring Bernie Sanders’ Medicare for All bill that will be introduced later this month.”

Warren is considered a top possible contender for the Democratic nomination in 2020.