Article snippet: WASHINGTON — Senator Elizabeth Warren on Thursday said she plans to make a “big announcement” on Feb. 9, where she is widely expected to say that she is officially running for president. She did not say where the announcement would take place. The Massachusetts Democrat launched a presidential exploratory committee with a video she posted online on Dec. 31, and she has since crisscrossed the country with her proto-campaign, making stops in Iowa, South Carolina, Puerto Rico, and New Hampshire. She postponed a visit to Nevada planned for last weekend so she could be in Washington to vote to end the government shutdown. An official announcement would be something of a formality, since Warren’s campaign-style efforts are well underway, but it offers her the opportunity to gather a large crowd and demonstrate a burst of energy around her campaign. Warren drew throngs of voters and favorable headlines as the first top-tier candidate to officially test the presidential waters, but the potential Democratic primary field has now become more crowded. Last week, Senator Kamala Harris of California said she was running for president. Harris attracted 20,000 people to her announcement rally in Oakland on Sunday — setting a high bar for the official rollout for Warren and other Democratic contenders. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York has also formed an exploratory committee, which allows someone to raise money for certain activities but stops short of formally making th... Link to the full article to read more