Why Your Nemesis Psychs You Out
In the jostling among Democrats to be the party’s 2020 presidential nominee, Elizabeth Warren has steadily climbed through the polls. Occasionally the Massachusetts senator has even caught up to Joe Biden, the former vice president and the consistent front-runner. The lengths Warren has gained were perhaps clearest in a Democratic presidential debate a few weeks ago, when many candidates spent most of their energy attacking Warren—and thereby positioning her as the de facto leader.
It’s not that Warren was polling much better than Biden was at that point. Instead, she had an elusive factor that politicians, business owners, and other competitive types crave: momentum. With positive buzz around her and her poll numbers generally ticking up, Warren was as the one to beat, even though she might not have been solidly ahead.
