MANCHESTER, N.H. — For the first time since she announced she's forming a presidential exploratory committee, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren visited New Hampshire, who will hold the first primary of the 2020 cycle.
The Massachusetts Democrat spoke Saturday at Manchester Community College, taking aim at the "wealthy and well-connected" and championing economic reforms to benefit the middle and lower classes.
@SenWarren expected to take the stage in under 15 minutes. Tom Petty’s “American Girl” playing now. pic.twitter.com/MeF5f4niUb
— Natalie Rubino (@newswithnatalie) January 12, 2019
The Democrat focused not on her ties to New England, but her childhood in Oklahoma in the visit, and told voters that her family relied on minimum wage when she was younger to survive.
"Today, a minimum-wage job in America will not keep a mom and baby out of poverty," Warren said.
@ewarren says that she's grateful for America because it allowed the daughter of a janitor to go to college, become a college professor and become a United States senator. But she adds that today American only works for the rich.
— Natalie Rubino (@newswithnatalie) January 12, 2019
The former school teacher worked to convince the crowd that she's not a career politician.
"For those who think I was born at Harvard, in fact, I went to the state law school of New Jersey," Warren said.
She highlighted anti-corruption legislation she has proposed, and advocated for prison reform, tax reform and an overall systemic change in Washington.
"An America that works only for the wealthy and big corporations, that's corruption," Warren said. "Plain and simple."
"An America that works only for the wealthy and big corporations, that’s corruption plain and simple. Let's call it what it is," she said. @boston25 https://t.co/jO8tgrInH8
— Natalie Rubino (@newswithnatalie) January 12, 2019
She also called for an end to the ongoing partial federal government shutdown, and she told reporters that Democrats need to talk about their "affirmative visions" instead of the man they want to defeat, President Donald Trump.
>>RELATED: Sen. Elizabeth Warren announces presidential exploratory committee
She added that, for her, this is a grassroots movement.
"This is our chance to dream big, to fight hard and make this an America that works not only for the rich and powerful, but an America that works for everyone," Warren said.
The Republican National Committee issued a statement in response to the event, calling Warren a phony and saying she has fumbled multiple times delivering on the national stage.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Associated Press