Warren’s shift comes at a low point for her candidacy. She has not placed first or second in any of the four contests before next week’s Super Tuesday.

“I’ll be the first to say that the first four contests haven’t gone exactly as I’d hoped,” she said. “But Super Tuesday is three days away and we’re looking forward to gaining as many delegates to the convention as we can — from California to right here in Texas.”

Warren began her remarks by discussing the coronavirus and the potential of an outbreak causing the American economy to “crumble.” She then presented herself as the candidate with the most competence and best ideas.

"We are picking a president — and we need someone whose core values can be trusted, who has a plan for how to govern, and who can actually get it done," she said. "I will be that president. I’ve been at the center of this kind of crisis before," she added, noting her experience during the 2008 financial crisis

She then turned to her rivals.

“Let’s be blunt,” Warren said. “This crisis demands more than a former vice president so eager to cut deals with Mitch McConnell and the Republicans that he’ll trade good ideas for bad ones,” she said of Joe Biden without naming him.

“This crisis demands more than a billionaire mayor who believes that since he’s rich enough to buy network airtime to pretend he’s the president, that entitles him to be president — and whose track record as mayor shows he’ll govern to protect himself and his rich friends over everyone else,” she said of Michael Bloomberg, again not addressing him by name.

If there were any questions about whether she would drop out of the race, she dispensed with them. “My campaign is built for the long haul,” she said.