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The Sad Reason Clinton Probably Won't Pick Warren

by Rosie Holden Vacanti Gilroy

There's no doubt that Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren is on Hillary Clinton's shortlist of running mates, and it's hard not to be excited by the prospect of an all-female Democratic presidential ticket. However, it's unlikely that Clinton will pick Warren to be her running mate, and here's why: Wall Street. That's right, the ever-controversial Wall Street influence could keep Clinton from picking Warren to be her vice president, Politico reports. Many Clinton donors with ties to Wall Street have come forward and told the Clinton campaign that Warren would be a dealbreaker — essentially, Wall Street donors won't fund a Clinton-Warren ticket.

Unlike Clinton, who is infamous for her ties to Wall Street, Warren is one of the financial industry's most ardent critics — if Clinton were to pick the Massachusetts Senator, many Wall Street donors would stop contributing to her campaign for fear that Warren would influence a potential Clinton administration to buckle down on Wall Street reforms. According to Politico, Clinton hopes to raise 1.5 billion dollars to fight presumptive GOP nominee, Donald Trump. It's hard to imagine reaching that goal without the help of Wall Street.

Yet, if Clinton were to pick Warren, she would be sending a message to a large constituency of progressive voters who want Wall Street to be more regulated. This would undeniably appeal to people who support Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. In fact, it's no secret that Clinton would probably choose Warren to attract Sanders' supporters in November.

So which voters matter more to the Clinton campaign? It seems as if the former secretary of state has to choose between two entirely oppositional constituencies: those tied to Wall Street, and those who oppose its influence on American politics.

The Warren dilemma proves that Wall Street does hold huge political influence in the United States — if it didn't, Clinton probably would have chosen her already in order to entice Sanders' many supporters. However, after so much speculation (and excitement) over the potential of Warren as vice president, if Clinton goes with a different candidate, many voters might see the choice as symbolic of her decision not to cut ties with Wall Street — and potentially look for another candidate to support.