Five Likely 2016 Democratic Presidential Candidates

Deval Patrick, Elizabeth Warren and Andrew Cuomo have a shot at winning the race.

Elizabeth Warren: After serving as special advisor for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in the Obama administration, the economic expert is now running in the 2012 U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts. Warren has received a following in liberal circles due to her longstanding criticisms of the financial industry and expertise in helping middle-class Americans make gains. She will only garner more fans if she can win the Senate seat in Massachusetts come November. Fast forward four years and Warren could very well follow in Barack Obama’s footsteps and be in the running for president as a junior senator.

Andrew Cuomo: Lefties may not be totally sold on the governor of New York since he’s widely viewed as more moderate than liberal. However, his work to get same-sex marriage legislation passed in New York has earned him kudos from progressives. Cuomo’s centrist stances on a number of other issues, such as his refusal to support a millionaire’s tax, will likely draw independents to his side or maybe even some moderate Republicans.

Martin O’Malley: The Maryland governor and former Baltimore mayor has won praise for helping Maryland schools become some of the top-performing in the country. He accomplished this in part by backing tax hikes and rerouting money for other government programs to finance education. The New York Times quoted O’Malley remarking, “We have gone through a period when we have decided, knowingly or unknowingly, to undercapitalize the great, job-generating, opportunity-expanding capacity of America.”

[ALSO READ: GOP Presidential Candidates for 2016]

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