Some Democratic strategists, however, say that a Clinton/Warren faceoff could actually work to Hillary’s benefit. The notion of two women vying for the nomination would be almost as historic as the Obama/Clinton primary of 2008, and would be particularly helpful as the party doubles down on its attempts to brand the GOP as anti-woman. And if Hillary were to defeat Warren with even relative ease, the questions about how big the so-called Warren wing of the party truly are would be at last answered. It would be hard, in other words, for progressives to convincingly make the case that they were on the march if one of their own failed to win a single primary.

For this reason, some operatives close to the Clintons are privately hoping that it is Bernie Sanders, Vermont’s far-left senator, who jumps in. A Clinton/Sanders field would quickly come under Republican ridicule on the age question alone—the two would be a combined 140 years old—especially against a GOP field largely made up of 40 or 50-somethings. But Clintonistas do not largely see the self-described Democratic Socialist as a credible threat.

Then, finally, there is the possibility that the challenge from Clinton comes not from the left, but from the right. On Tuesday, Jim Webb, a former secretary of the Navy under Ronald Reagan who later served as a Democratic Senator from Virginia, said that he was “seriously looking” at making a bid. It is hard to know if Webb is serious, but regardless, it is less of a possibility that Clinton faces this kind of challenge, since there are simply fewer possible candidates out there to her right. And should one emerge, it could, for Hillary supporters, be the best of all possible outcomes: a candidate who actually endears her to the liberal base, while giving her a chance to practice politics.