The Boston Globe editorial board endorsed Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) for the Democratic nomination Wednesday, a little more than a year after saying she'd missed her shot and shouldn't run.
In stark contrast to its December 2018 editorial calling Warren "divisive" and saying there was "reason to be skeptical of her prospective candidacy in 2020," the Globe is now praising her as the best candidate to challenge President Donald Trump.
"[One] candidate stands out as a leader with the qualifications, the track record, and the tenacity to defend the principles of democracy, bring fairness to an economy that is excluding too many Americans, and advance a progressive agenda," the board wrote. "That candidate is Elizabeth Warren."
Yet shortly before she announced her presidential exploratory committee, the Globe said on Dec. 7, 2018, that there were clear warning signs in the voter data for the recently reelected Warren. In a blue state, she won fewer votes than Republican governor Charlie Baker did in his simultaneous reelection bid.
"Warren missed her moment in 2016 ... While Warren is an effective and impactful senator with an important voice nationally, she has become a divisive figure," the board wrote then. "A unifying voice is what the country needs now after the polarizing politics of Donald Trump."
In the same editorial, the Globe praised former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick (D.) for electing not to mount a campaign. Ironically, he reversed course in November and decided to run before dropping out three months later.
On Wednesday, the Globe acknowledged its former criticism of Warren and said "she has proved us wrong."
"In December 2018, this editorial board expressed doubt that Elizabeth Warren should run for president," the board wrote. "She has proved us wrong and has shaped the course of the race for the better. The electorate, at least in recent polls and in the early states, is signaling its preference for the profound change that underpins Warren’s agenda."
The board also argued the remaining top Democratic candidates all have "virtues" and would make better presidents than Trump. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) has established himself as the clear frontrunner in the race, while Warren has faded since the fall.
Warren's prominent editorial board endorsements, such as the New York Times's endorsement she shared with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.), haven't translated to success in her first three primary and caucus contests.
She earned the Des Moines Register's endorsement but still finished in third place in the Iowa caucuses. She took fourth place in both the New Hampshire primary and Nevada caucuses.