Some Democrats hoped to lure Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren into the 2016 presidential campaign.
But she hasn't jumped in so far, and that leaves Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders as their next best option.
Sanders opens his official campaign for the Democratic nomination Tuesday in Burlington, Vermont. He's aiming to fire up left-leaning Democrats who are wary of Hillary Rodham Clinton.
His agenda is in step with the party's progressive wing and is compatible with Warren's platform. That means trying to rein in Wall Street banks, tackle college debt and create a government-financed infrastructure jobs program.
Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley are competing to be the main alternatives to Clinton. Much of the energy behind finding a Clinton alternative has been directed to drafting Warren.
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