Sen. Elizabeth Warren has been making moves to set up for a possible run at the presidency in 2020, Politico reported.
The Massachusetts Democrat has $12.8 million in her campaign war chest, more than almost any other incumbent senator at this point in an election cycle. Warren also has worked on connecting politically with people she has disagreed with, such as former president Barack Obama and Jamie Dimon, the JPMorgan Chase CEO, Politico reported.
The senator has gone on a book tour, and has offered more access to local reporters, as well as activating a network of small-dollar donors, the report noted.
She also has responded back to President Donald Trump's criticisms of her, such as when he has called her "Pocahontas," a reference to Warren claiming Cherokee heritage, according to the website.
The senator has also added a research team to analyze her political past for any vulnerability and the group is also monitoring possible Republican opponents, as well as an anti-Warren super PAC that Donald Trump ally Robert Mercer is funding, Politico reported.
"Big money is already running attack ads against her, and she is and should be taking them very seriously. She won the first time with a formidable grass-roots organization, and she should be doing the same thing again," said Michael Dukakis, the former Massachusetts governor who was the Democrat presidential nominee in 1988.
She has crossed the aisle to work with Republican senators, but remains frequently critical of their policy such as the tax reform legislation.
"The stuff that Trump is focused on, a lot of it is big breaks to big corporations and the banks and others, and that's in her sweet spot, that's why she was elected, it's what she cares about," said Warren's 2012 Senate campaign strategist, Doug Rubin, in Politico.
Warren also has publicly allied with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., teaming up for videos and a New York Times opinion piece critical of the Republican agenda, the Politico report said.
Preparations for 2020 also are happening on the Republican side, as a number of lesser-known names are looking toward long-shot presidential runs.