Gideon Kidd of Cedar Falls is the driving force behind one of the larger social media megaphones in Iowa. He has built a following of more than 340,000 with his @IvePetThatDog Twitter account where he posts — truth in advertising — photos of himself petting dogs.

Last summer, when his own beloved dog, Walter, passed away, Mr. Kidd received an outpouring of support, some local news coverage and one condolence voice mail message from a 2020 candidate for president: Senator Elizabeth Warren.

Mr. Kidd cannot vote for Ms. Warren, or anyone, in 2020. He is 11.

“It was very touching and sweet,” said Gideon’s mom, Rachel Braunigan, who added that the family was staying neutral in the caucuses.

Ms. Warren is betting that call — and many more like it — are worth making anyway.

Beyond offering preteen pet-passing sympathies, she also makes sure that activists, celebrities, elected leaders and local Democratic officials keep picking up the phone (or checking their voice mail) to hear the same five words: “Hi, this is Elizabeth Warren.”