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Sens. Warren and Klobuchar Enter Presidential Race. Here Are Their Strengths and Weaknesses.

Both women intimidate Trump, but for different reasons.

Over the weekend, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar both officially announced they would run for the Democratic Party's nomination in the 2020 presidential race.

They join a crowded and diverse field, including three other female candidates: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and Sen. Kamala Harris.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren

Warren kicked off her campaign on Saturday, February 9, in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in front of Everett Mills, the site of an early 1900s labor strike led by women and immigrants. It served as the perfect backdrop for a run that will focus heavily on issues of workers' rights, income inequality, and the unceasing greed of Wall Street, matching her record in office.

She said Trump is "not the cause of what is broken, he is just the latest and most extreme symptom of what's gone wrong in America. A product of a rigged system that props up the rich and powerful and kicks dirt on everyone else."

Warren has been a vocal opponent of the president, showing she is willing to trade verbal blows with him. However, she has tamed much of that rhetoric leading up to her presidential run, while Trump continues to mock her history of identifying as Native American due to her lineage, despite her not having tribal heritage.

She has apologized to Cherokee leaders for using a DNA test to show she had Native American ancestry, saying she regretted adding to "furthering confusion on tribal sovereignty and tribal citizenship and harm that resulted."

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LAWRENCE, MA - FEBRUARY 09: Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), looks down on her event before announcing her official bid for President on February 9, 2019 in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Warren announced today that she was launching her 2020 presidential campaign. (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

Warren will have to overcome that controversy, with Trump unlikely to let it go, but otherwise looks to be a strong contender for the party's nomination. Trump's obsession with her goes to show he takes her seriously as a threat to his re-election efforts.

In addition to a strong stance on economically progressive issues, she is also supportive of a Green New Deal, immigration reform, and LGBTQ rights.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar

Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced her campaign for the presidential nomination on Sunday, in Minneapolis, braving a snow storm while pledging to fight income inequality, political division, and climate change.

Trump, in a misunderstanding of how climate change works, tweeted the timing was bad, because, "By the end of her speech she looked like a Snowman(woman)!"

Klobuchar is not a household name in the same way as Warren and some of the other candidates she'll face in the primary, but while that could be a hindrance, it might also work in her advantage, as she'll have more freedom to craft her own image.

That image includes being praised for her ability to disagree without being disagreeable, which likely helped her win re-election in November with a commanding 60% of the vote against her Republican opponent in a state Trump only narrowly lost in 2016. She has not signaled her support for some of the more progressive policies backed by her Democratic opponents, such as Medicare for all. She has, however, said she would support the Green New Deal.

Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 10: Supporters gather at Boom Island Park to watch Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) announce her 2020 presidential bid on February 10, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The crowd braved cold temperatures and heavy snow during the event. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Her "Minnesota nice" persona has taken a hit with reports of her being a tough boss. She has admitted to having high standards, both for herself and those around her. Her office has had high turnover, leading to questions concerning her leadership skills.

Republicans are praising her ability to make deals, which could help her pick-up fellow moderates and disillusioned Trump voters, as his approval rating continues to plummet. But first she'll have to win over the Democratic voters, who might not be inclined to see finding common ground with this crop of Republican leaders a virtue.

Klobuchar, like Warren, has a strong record on LGBTQ rights, having supported marriage equality, and anti-discrimination laws in schools and the workplace.

Both senators intimidate Trump, but for different reasons: Warren is a champion of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, with strong name-recognition, who could likely rally the base to come out in large numbers. Klobuchar, meanwhile, is a calming voice amid a turbulent time who could peel away some of his more centrist supporters.

Both will need to stay on message and avoid petty distractions if they wish to be the one to take him on in the general election.

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