After last night's debate I feel more optimistic about Warren. Her mistake earlier was to compete with Bernie to own the progressive wing of the party. Bernie clearly had a stronger stake there, and Warren failed. But in her attempt to do so, especially in the debate where she came across as a Bernie wannabe on Medicare for All, she scared away a lot of moderates who liked her until then. Squeezed out of the "progressive" lane by Bernie, she had no other lane to drive on, so she plummeted.
The question now is whether she can define a new lane to the right of Bernie but to the left of the moderates. This is a lane that moderates can feel more comfortable with than they can feel about Bernie's lane and yet one that's progressive enough that many of the Bernie folks could move to if they become convinced Warren is more electable.
Her strategy now is to present herself as the most viable non-Bernie candidate who has the best chance of beating Trump by uniting both wings of the party. She can only do that if between now and Super Tuesday she can absorb a good chunk of the undecided voters who are currently leaning toward Buttigieg, Biden, and Klobuchar.
It's all about timing, and if she surges in the next week or two with support from moderates, she might create a bandwagon for for those who feel most uncomfortable with Bernie to jump onto. Warren might be too "progressive" for most moderates, but they might be persuaded that better her than Bernie. Bernie isn't going away, but if the non-Bernie vote coalesces around another candidate, he could fall to second place.
I just don't think that Klobuchar or Buttigieg can be that candidate of coalescence. Certainly not Bloomberg. And I've never take Biden seriously. They are too establishment, too like Hillary, even if, except for Bloomberg, more likable. Only old people really like them. Warren, imo, presents the best opportunity to unite the party because she's more acceptable to moderates than Bernie while at the same time being someone most Bernie supporters could feel good about supporting with enthusiasm in November.
We'll just have to wait and see if most primary voters in Nevada and South Carolina are beginning to see Warren as that candidate of coalescence. I don't know, but I think surprises lie ahead, and anything can happen between now and Super Tuesday. My vote will be for Warren in my state's primary March 10 unless she's hopelessly out of it. If she is, I'll get on the Bernie train.