Sen. Bernie Sanders praised his former Democratic co-contender Sen. Elizabeth Warren after she dropped out of the 2020 race on Thursday, saying her ideas will outlive her campaign because she "has changed political consciousness in America."

"I know that today is a very difficult day for Sen. Warren, for her staff, and for her millions of supporters. You know, I've been in politics for a little while, and I have seen many, many campaigns good campaigns that have spent a lot of money, kind of fade away. The message fades away the day after the candidate drops out or loses. That will not be the case with Sen. Warren. She has run a very strong, issue-oriented campaign, and the reason that her campaign ideas will remain viable for many, many years is she has changed political consciousness in America, which at the end of the day is the most important thing that any candidate could do."

— Bernie Sanders

Why it matters: Sanders and Warren offered similar critiques of American capitalism throughout their campaigns — and both have championed progressive policy ideas such as Medicare for All.

The state of play: Warren did not announce an endorsement following the suspension of her campaign, but both Sanders and former VP Joe Biden have sought the Massachusetts senator's support, per the New York Times. Warren said she will "take a little time to think a little more" regarding who she will endorse.