Yahoo News US election 2020: Meet all the Democrats running against Trump
![The most diverse group of politicians to ever run for the White House have emerged ahead of the 2020 debates, as Donald Trump seeks re-election — and live-tweets the Democratic primaries. With the first slate of debates just weeks away, a variety of candidates have proven to be fundraising juggernauts, surprising dark horses and even clear frontrunners. As the list of Democrats throwing their hat in the ring for a shot at the Oval Office seemingly continues to grow with each week, here are each of the 2020 hopefuls to have announced an official run thus far. Meet the candidatesJoe BidenFormer US vice president Joe Biden has officially joined the Democratic presidential contest to replace Donald Trump in 2020. The 76-year-old lifelong politician becomes an instant frontrunner alongside Bernie Sanders, who is leading many polls.In his campaign video, Mr Biden warned that handing Mr Trump a further four years in the White House would “forever and fundamentally alter the character of this nation”.He has already begun addressing the issue of his age – at 76, Mr Biden is four years older than Mr Trump – suggesting he’s “the most qualified person” to run against the president in 2020. He also attacked the president for his response to a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, accusing Mr Trump of having “assigned moral equivalence between those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it”.“In that moment, I knew that the threat to this nation was unlike any I had ever seen in my lifetime,” he added. Bernie Sanders A favourite among progressive voters during the 2016 election, the lifelong Independent senator from Vermont was bested by Ms Clinton despite some polls at the time indicating he may have been the best bet for the Democratic Party to defeat Mr Trump in the general election. Now, the 77-year-old has announced a run again in 2020 – calling out the president as “a pathological liar” and offering a robust policy platform. “I am asking you to join me today as part of an unprecedented and historic grassroots campaign that will begin with at least a million people from across the country,” Mr Sanders wrote in an email to his supporters announcing his candidacy.Kirsten GillibrandThe New York senator launched her 2020 bid after securing another term during the 2018 midterms with one of the largest vote counts from Republicans out of any Democratic presidential candidate. Despite having less than one per cent of support among Democratic voters in most national polls, she has continued along the campaign trail with an underdog message, while claiming she's having more fun than most of the other candidates. Julian CastroIf anyone had been hinting they were planning a bid, it was this ex-Texas mayor and former secretary of housing and urban development. Mr Castro has taken a decidedly progressive position in the 2020 race, supporting the Green New Deal, tuition free college and universal pre-K. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Mr Castro said: “I’ll make a final decision after November, but I’m inclined to do it.”He has since, unsurprisingly, done so.Kamala HarrisA California senator and renowned prosecutor, Kamala Harris was introduced to the national stage for many Americans during the Jeff Sessions testimony about his contacts with Russian officials during the 2016 presidential election, and is credited in part with the former attorney general’s recusal from all matters Russia-related. The first Indian-American senator, she reportedly met with major donors before announcing her presidential bid on 21 January. She would become the first black female president if elected, and has said she believes Americans are ready and willing to look past identity and vote for a leader they support. Kamala Harris asks William Barr if he personally reviewed evidence in Mueller reportJohn Delaney The Maryland congressman, who represents the state’s sixth district, was the first major Democrat to launch a bid for 2020. “I think I’m the right person for the job, but not enough people knew who I was or still know who I am,” Mr Delaney recently told the New York Times in Iowa.“The way to solve that problem, it seems to me, is to get in early and just work harder than everyone else.”Pete ButtigiegThe mayor of South Bend, Indiana is the first openly gay politician to join the 2020 Democratic race for the White House. He was the youngest mayor elected to a US city with over 100,000 residents by the age of 29 and serves as a lieutenant in the navy reserve. Mr Buttigieg has climbed in the polls and enjoys fundraising on-par with that of several more nationally-recognised candidates, despite being a little-known mayor from Indiana. Pete Buttigieg responds to Donald Trump calling him 'Alfred E. Neuman' after the Mad magazine characterJay InsleeWashington governor Jay Inslee, a fierce climate change advocate and former congressman, is joining the 2020 presidential race as a growing pool of Democratic candidates seek to unseat Donald Trump in the White House.Unlike the slate of progressives who have announced their bids before him and rejected the help of super PACs (political action committees), the governor will reportedly receive aid along the campaign trail from Act Now On Climate, a group spearheaded by Corey Platt, the former political director of the Democratic Governors Association.“He’ll be the person to say [climate change] is the number one priority,” Mr Platt told HuffPost about the super PAC’s support for Mr Inslee. “We’re here to amplify and support his candidacy.”Tulsi GabbardThe US representative from Hawaii and former army medic declared her intention to run on 11 January.The 37-year-old was quickly beset by controversy, however, after it emerged she had expressed anti-LGBT+ views earlier in her career and met with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, whose removal from power she opposes.Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts senator has gained national recognition as a major supporter of regulating Wall Street and has tackled head-on some of the biggest potential controversies that threatened to surround her during a 2020 campaign, including questions regarding her Native American heritage. Ms Warren, who released a video and ancestry report confirming she has distant native ancestry, has become a fierce critic of Mr Trump’s anti-regulatory administration. Andrew YangAmong the most interesting names on the list of political outsiders to announce their candidacy is this New York entrepreneur, running on a universal basic income platform.Mr Yang argues that automation threatens to claim a third of US jobs over the coming years and plans to pay for his initiative to boost American families by taxing Silicon Valley.Cory Booker The New Jersey senator released a video announcing his candidacy, focusing on his support for criminal justice reform and economic justice. “I’m the only US senator that lives in the inner city. I don’t know if any other senator had shootings on their block this year,” he said at one point. Booker has travelled to states like Iowa and is reportedly seeking to develop an “earnest” campaign for the White House in 2020.Beto O’Rourke The Texas congressman was introduced to the national stage as a 2016 Texas senatorial candidate against Republican incumbent Ted Cruz. Despite his loss, his viral speeches and message of unity and progressivism captured the attention of voters across the country.He plans to soon re-launch his campaign after his polling nearly cut in half following the announcements of several other major candidates like Joe Biden.Eric Swalwell The California congressman was seen as a widely-popular favourite among Democrats to run for the White House. Despite his young age – 37-years-old – he has garnered national recognition and support while campaigning for Democrats across the country during the 2018 midterms. He is running as a progressive and focusing on gun control, as well as taking on Russian interference and attacking the president on issues of corruption. Steve BullockThe 53-year-old governor is running as a centrist Democrat who has advanced party values while navigating a Republican legislature and a GOP-leaning electorate. Mr Bullock made his candidacy official in a video that capped months of speculation fuelled by his political activity in Iowa, which hosts the nation’s first presidential caucus next February. His immediate challenge is corralling enough donors and support in the polls to qualify for the first Democratic debate in June. More broadly, as a white, Trump-state Democrat, Mr Bullock could face an uphill battle to break through in a primary that — at least in its early days — has been defined by Joe Biden’s dominance and the progressive energy of a diverse party base.Seth MoultonSeth Moulton first came to prominence in 2014 when he unseated long-term incumbent Representative John Tierney in a Democratic primary and went on to represent the state’s 6th Congressional District, a swath of communities north of Boston including Salem, home of the infamous colonial-era witch trials. Mr Moulton said he wanted to run a presidential campaign that would “bring this country back together,” talking “about patriotism, about security, about service.”“These are issues that for too long Democrats have ceded to Republicans,” he said.Marianne WilliamsonMarianne Williamson has written 13 spiritual books including four New York Times number one best-sellers, but has barely registered in the polls.She garnered 1% of the vote in a recent CNN national poll, putting her in the company of several senators and other well-known figures in the crowded Democratic race. She has qualified for the first debates, however, with a message of love and unity. Tim RyanTim Ryan jumped into the 2020 presidential race by portraying himself as a candidate who can bridge Democrats’ progressive and working class wings to win the White House.The congressman resisted being labelled a political centrist, despite being a recreational hunter with past backing from the National Rifle Association. In 2015, he reversed his past opposition to abortion in favor of abortion rights. Wayne Messam Wayne Messam, a Florida mayor who played for the Seminoles in the 1990s, believes his city has much that the rest of the United States would like to have -- environmentally-friendly development, high-end manufacturing and major corporate operations.He says the United States needs an economic plan that emphasizes educating adults and children to thrive amid ever-increasing automation, and one that better competes internationally.John HickenlooperJohn Hickenlooper has hedged on supporting Democratic rallying cries like Medicare for All and the Green New Deal to combat climate change. He once worked as a geologist for a petroleum company and was roundly criticized for telling a congressional panel he drank fracking fluid while arguing for the safety of the energy extraction technique. The former Colorado governor has cast himself as a can-do uniter who’s used to overcoming adversity and accomplishing liberal goals in a politically divided state.Joe SestakThe retired Navy admiral who calls himself “Admiral Joe” on his campaign website joins a crowded Democratic field seeking the nomination to challenge Mr Trump. He launched his longshot candidacy at a veterans’ museum in Waterloo, Iowa.Mr Sestak decried what he calls “America’s retreat from the world” and said strong action is needed to deal with climate change, corporate accountability and China’s geopolitical threat.Additional reporting by AP](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/ELfrjGa08Xv0lNeakh.2Bg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTUzOA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the_independent_577/e11c2ae0edfe6864c7f042a5fc52f326)
![The most diverse group of politicians to ever run for the White House have emerged ahead of the 2020 debates, as Donald Trump seeks re-election — and live-tweets the Democratic primaries. With the first slate of debates just weeks away, a variety of candidates have proven to be fundraising juggernauts, surprising dark horses and even clear frontrunners. As the list of Democrats throwing their hat in the ring for a shot at the Oval Office seemingly continues to grow with each week, here are each of the 2020 hopefuls to have announced an official run thus far. Meet the candidatesJoe BidenFormer US vice president Joe Biden has officially joined the Democratic presidential contest to replace Donald Trump in 2020. The 76-year-old lifelong politician becomes an instant frontrunner alongside Bernie Sanders, who is leading many polls.In his campaign video, Mr Biden warned that handing Mr Trump a further four years in the White House would “forever and fundamentally alter the character of this nation”.He has already begun addressing the issue of his age – at 76, Mr Biden is four years older than Mr Trump – suggesting he’s “the most qualified person” to run against the president in 2020. He also attacked the president for his response to a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, accusing Mr Trump of having “assigned moral equivalence between those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it”.“In that moment, I knew that the threat to this nation was unlike any I had ever seen in my lifetime,” he added. Bernie Sanders A favourite among progressive voters during the 2016 election, the lifelong Independent senator from Vermont was bested by Ms Clinton despite some polls at the time indicating he may have been the best bet for the Democratic Party to defeat Mr Trump in the general election. Now, the 77-year-old has announced a run again in 2020 – calling out the president as “a pathological liar” and offering a robust policy platform. “I am asking you to join me today as part of an unprecedented and historic grassroots campaign that will begin with at least a million people from across the country,” Mr Sanders wrote in an email to his supporters announcing his candidacy.Kirsten GillibrandThe New York senator launched her 2020 bid after securing another term during the 2018 midterms with one of the largest vote counts from Republicans out of any Democratic presidential candidate. Despite having less than one per cent of support among Democratic voters in most national polls, she has continued along the campaign trail with an underdog message, while claiming she's having more fun than most of the other candidates. Julian CastroIf anyone had been hinting they were planning a bid, it was this ex-Texas mayor and former secretary of housing and urban development. Mr Castro has taken a decidedly progressive position in the 2020 race, supporting the Green New Deal, tuition free college and universal pre-K. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Mr Castro said: “I’ll make a final decision after November, but I’m inclined to do it.”He has since, unsurprisingly, done so.Kamala HarrisA California senator and renowned prosecutor, Kamala Harris was introduced to the national stage for many Americans during the Jeff Sessions testimony about his contacts with Russian officials during the 2016 presidential election, and is credited in part with the former attorney general’s recusal from all matters Russia-related. The first Indian-American senator, she reportedly met with major donors before announcing her presidential bid on 21 January. She would become the first black female president if elected, and has said she believes Americans are ready and willing to look past identity and vote for a leader they support. Kamala Harris asks William Barr if he personally reviewed evidence in Mueller reportJohn Delaney The Maryland congressman, who represents the state’s sixth district, was the first major Democrat to launch a bid for 2020. “I think I’m the right person for the job, but not enough people knew who I was or still know who I am,” Mr Delaney recently told the New York Times in Iowa.“The way to solve that problem, it seems to me, is to get in early and just work harder than everyone else.”Pete ButtigiegThe mayor of South Bend, Indiana is the first openly gay politician to join the 2020 Democratic race for the White House. He was the youngest mayor elected to a US city with over 100,000 residents by the age of 29 and serves as a lieutenant in the navy reserve. Mr Buttigieg has climbed in the polls and enjoys fundraising on-par with that of several more nationally-recognised candidates, despite being a little-known mayor from Indiana. Pete Buttigieg responds to Donald Trump calling him 'Alfred E. Neuman' after the Mad magazine characterJay InsleeWashington governor Jay Inslee, a fierce climate change advocate and former congressman, is joining the 2020 presidential race as a growing pool of Democratic candidates seek to unseat Donald Trump in the White House.Unlike the slate of progressives who have announced their bids before him and rejected the help of super PACs (political action committees), the governor will reportedly receive aid along the campaign trail from Act Now On Climate, a group spearheaded by Corey Platt, the former political director of the Democratic Governors Association.“He’ll be the person to say [climate change] is the number one priority,” Mr Platt told HuffPost about the super PAC’s support for Mr Inslee. “We’re here to amplify and support his candidacy.”Tulsi GabbardThe US representative from Hawaii and former army medic declared her intention to run on 11 January.The 37-year-old was quickly beset by controversy, however, after it emerged she had expressed anti-LGBT+ views earlier in her career and met with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, whose removal from power she opposes.Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts senator has gained national recognition as a major supporter of regulating Wall Street and has tackled head-on some of the biggest potential controversies that threatened to surround her during a 2020 campaign, including questions regarding her Native American heritage. Ms Warren, who released a video and ancestry report confirming she has distant native ancestry, has become a fierce critic of Mr Trump’s anti-regulatory administration. Andrew YangAmong the most interesting names on the list of political outsiders to announce their candidacy is this New York entrepreneur, running on a universal basic income platform.Mr Yang argues that automation threatens to claim a third of US jobs over the coming years and plans to pay for his initiative to boost American families by taxing Silicon Valley.Cory Booker The New Jersey senator released a video announcing his candidacy, focusing on his support for criminal justice reform and economic justice. “I’m the only US senator that lives in the inner city. I don’t know if any other senator had shootings on their block this year,” he said at one point. Booker has travelled to states like Iowa and is reportedly seeking to develop an “earnest” campaign for the White House in 2020.Beto O’Rourke The Texas congressman was introduced to the national stage as a 2016 Texas senatorial candidate against Republican incumbent Ted Cruz. Despite his loss, his viral speeches and message of unity and progressivism captured the attention of voters across the country.He plans to soon re-launch his campaign after his polling nearly cut in half following the announcements of several other major candidates like Joe Biden.Eric Swalwell The California congressman was seen as a widely-popular favourite among Democrats to run for the White House. Despite his young age – 37-years-old – he has garnered national recognition and support while campaigning for Democrats across the country during the 2018 midterms. He is running as a progressive and focusing on gun control, as well as taking on Russian interference and attacking the president on issues of corruption. Steve BullockThe 53-year-old governor is running as a centrist Democrat who has advanced party values while navigating a Republican legislature and a GOP-leaning electorate. Mr Bullock made his candidacy official in a video that capped months of speculation fuelled by his political activity in Iowa, which hosts the nation’s first presidential caucus next February. His immediate challenge is corralling enough donors and support in the polls to qualify for the first Democratic debate in June. More broadly, as a white, Trump-state Democrat, Mr Bullock could face an uphill battle to break through in a primary that — at least in its early days — has been defined by Joe Biden’s dominance and the progressive energy of a diverse party base.Seth MoultonSeth Moulton first came to prominence in 2014 when he unseated long-term incumbent Representative John Tierney in a Democratic primary and went on to represent the state’s 6th Congressional District, a swath of communities north of Boston including Salem, home of the infamous colonial-era witch trials. Mr Moulton said he wanted to run a presidential campaign that would “bring this country back together,” talking “about patriotism, about security, about service.”“These are issues that for too long Democrats have ceded to Republicans,” he said.Marianne WilliamsonMarianne Williamson has written 13 spiritual books including four New York Times number one best-sellers, but has barely registered in the polls.She garnered 1% of the vote in a recent CNN national poll, putting her in the company of several senators and other well-known figures in the crowded Democratic race. She has qualified for the first debates, however, with a message of love and unity. Tim RyanTim Ryan jumped into the 2020 presidential race by portraying himself as a candidate who can bridge Democrats’ progressive and working class wings to win the White House.The congressman resisted being labelled a political centrist, despite being a recreational hunter with past backing from the National Rifle Association. In 2015, he reversed his past opposition to abortion in favor of abortion rights. Wayne Messam Wayne Messam, a Florida mayor who played for the Seminoles in the 1990s, believes his city has much that the rest of the United States would like to have -- environmentally-friendly development, high-end manufacturing and major corporate operations.He says the United States needs an economic plan that emphasizes educating adults and children to thrive amid ever-increasing automation, and one that better competes internationally.John HickenlooperJohn Hickenlooper has hedged on supporting Democratic rallying cries like Medicare for All and the Green New Deal to combat climate change. He once worked as a geologist for a petroleum company and was roundly criticized for telling a congressional panel he drank fracking fluid while arguing for the safety of the energy extraction technique. The former Colorado governor has cast himself as a can-do uniter who’s used to overcoming adversity and accomplishing liberal goals in a politically divided state.Joe SestakThe retired Navy admiral who calls himself “Admiral Joe” on his campaign website joins a crowded Democratic field seeking the nomination to challenge Mr Trump. He launched his longshot candidacy at a veterans’ museum in Waterloo, Iowa.Mr Sestak decried what he calls “America’s retreat from the world” and said strong action is needed to deal with climate change, corporate accountability and China’s geopolitical threat.Additional reporting by AP](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/LCQcgxd7KTWsB7lGQcAj5A--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTUzOA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the_independent_577/2d598b2ca56e5052c0dd09ac42fb0f65)
The most diverse group of politicians to ever run for the White House have emerged ahead of the 2020 debates, as Donald Trump seeks re-election — and live-tweets the Democratic primaries.
With the first slate of debates just weeks away, a variety of candidates have proven to be fundraising juggernauts, surprising dark horses and even clear frontrunners.
As the list of Democrats throwing their hat in the ring for a shot at the Oval Office seemingly continues to grow with each week, here are each of the 2020 hopefuls to have announced an official run thus far.
Meet the candidates
Joe Biden
Former US vice president Joe Biden has officially joined the Democratic presidential contest to replace Donald Trump in 2020. The 76-year-old lifelong politician becomes an instant frontrunner alongside Bernie Sanders, who is leading many polls.
In his campaign video, Mr Biden warned that handing Mr Trump a further four years in the White House would “forever and fundamentally alter the character of this nation”.
He has already begun addressing the issue of his age – at 76, Mr Biden is four years older than Mr Trump – suggesting he’s “the most qualified person” to run against the president in 2020.
He also attacked the president for his response to a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, accusing Mr Trump of having “assigned moral equivalence between those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it”.
“In that moment, I knew that the threat to this nation was unlike any I had ever seen in my lifetime,” he added.
Bernie Sanders
A favourite among progressive voters during the 2016 election, the lifelong Independent senator from Vermont was bested by Ms Clinton despite some polls at the time indicating he may have been the best bet for the Democratic Party to defeat Mr Trump in the general election.
Now, the 77-year-old has announced a run again in 2020 – calling out the president as “a pathological liar” and offering a robust policy platform. “I am asking you to join me today as part of an unprecedented and historic grassroots campaign that will begin with at least a million people from across the country,” Mr Sanders wrote in an email to his supporters announcing his candidacy.
Kirsten Gillibrand
The New York senator launched her 2020 bid after securing another term during the 2018 midterms with one of the largest vote counts from Republicans out of any Democratic presidential candidate. Despite having less than one per cent of support among Democratic voters in most national polls, she has continued along the campaign trail with an underdog message, while claiming she's having more fun than most of the other candidates.
Julian Castro
If anyone had been hinting they were planning a bid, it was this ex-Texas mayor and former secretary of housing and urban development. Mr Castro has taken a decidedly progressive position in the 2020 race, supporting the Green New Deal, tuition free college and universal pre-K.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Mr Castro said: “I’ll make a final decision after November, but I’m inclined to do it.”
He has since, unsurprisingly, done so.
Kamala Harris
A California senator and renowned prosecutor, Kamala Harris was introduced to the national stage for many Americans during the Jeff Sessions testimony about his contacts with Russian officials during the 2016 presidential election, and is credited in part with the former attorney general’s recusal from all matters Russia-related.
The first Indian-American senator, she reportedly met with major donors before announcing her presidential bid on 21 January. She would become the first black female president if elected, and has said she believes Americans are ready and willing to look past identity and vote for a leader they support.
Kamala Harris asks William Barr if he personally reviewed evidence in Mueller report
John Delaney
The Maryland congressman, who represents the state’s sixth district, was the first major Democrat to launch a bid for 2020.
“I think I’m the right person for the job, but not enough people knew who I was or still know who I am,” Mr Delaney recently told the New York Times in Iowa.
“The way to solve that problem, it seems to me, is to get in early and just work harder than everyone else.”
Pete Buttigieg
The mayor of South Bend, Indiana is the first openly gay politician to join the 2020 Democratic race for the White House. He was the youngest mayor elected to a US city with over 100,000 residents by the age of 29 and serves as a lieutenant in the navy reserve.
Mr Buttigieg has climbed in the polls and enjoys fundraising on-par with that of several more nationally-recognised candidates, despite being a little-known mayor from Indiana.
Pete Buttigieg responds to Donald Trump calling him 'Alfred E. Neuman' after the Mad magazine character
Jay Inslee
Washington governor Jay Inslee, a fierce climate change advocate and former congressman, is joining the 2020 presidential race as a growing pool of Democratic candidates seek to unseat Donald Trump in the White House.
Unlike the slate of progressives who have announced their bids before him and rejected the help of super PACs (political action committees), the governor will reportedly receive aid along the campaign trail from Act Now On Climate, a group spearheaded by Corey Platt, the former political director of the Democratic Governors Association.
“He’ll be the person to say [climate change] is the number one priority,” Mr Platt told HuffPost about the super PAC’s support for Mr Inslee. “We’re here to amplify and support his candidacy.”
Tulsi Gabbard
The US representative from Hawaii and former army medic declared her intention to run on 11 January.
The 37-year-old was quickly beset by controversy, however, after it emerged she had expressed anti-LGBT+ views earlier in her career and met with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, whose removal from power she opposes.
Elizabeth Warren
The Massachusetts senator has gained national recognition as a major supporter of regulating Wall Street and has tackled head-on some of the biggest potential controversies that threatened to surround her during a 2020 campaign, including questions regarding her Native American heritage.
Ms Warren, who released a video and ancestry report confirming she has distant native ancestry, has become a fierce critic of Mr Trump’s anti-regulatory administration.
Andrew Yang
Among the most interesting names on the list of political outsiders to announce their candidacy is this New York entrepreneur, running on a universal basic income platform.
Mr Yang argues that automation threatens to claim a third of US jobs over the coming years and plans to pay for his initiative to boost American families by taxing Silicon Valley.
Cory Booker
The New Jersey senator released a video announcing his candidacy, focusing on his support for criminal justice reform and economic justice.
“I’m the only US senator that lives in the inner city. I don’t know if any other senator had shootings on their block this year,” he said at one point.
Booker has travelled to states like Iowa and is reportedly seeking to develop an “earnest” campaign for the White House in 2020.
Beto O’Rourke
The Texas congressman was introduced to the national stage as a 2016 Texas senatorial candidate against Republican incumbent Ted Cruz. Despite his loss, his viral speeches and message of unity and progressivism captured the attention of voters across the country.
He plans to soon re-launch his campaign after his polling nearly cut in half following the announcements of several other major candidates like Joe Biden.
Eric Swalwell
The California congressman was seen as a widely-popular favourite among Democrats to run for the White House. Despite his young age – 37-years-old – he has garnered national recognition and support while campaigning for Democrats across the country during the 2018 midterms.
He is running as a progressive and focusing on gun control, as well as taking on Russian interference and attacking the president on issues of corruption.
Steve Bullock
The 53-year-old governor is running as a centrist Democrat who has advanced party values while navigating a Republican legislature and a GOP-leaning electorate. Mr Bullock made his candidacy official in a video that capped months of speculation fuelled by his political activity in Iowa, which hosts the nation’s first presidential caucus next February.
His immediate challenge is corralling enough donors and support in the polls to qualify for the first Democratic debate in June. More broadly, as a white, Trump-state Democrat, Mr Bullock could face an uphill battle to break through in a primary that — at least in its early days — has been defined by Joe Biden’s dominance and the progressive energy of a diverse party base.
Seth Moulton
Seth Moulton first came to prominence in 2014 when he unseated long-term incumbent Representative John Tierney in a Democratic primary and went on to represent the state’s 6th Congressional District, a swath of communities north of Boston including Salem, home of the infamous colonial-era witch trials. Mr Moulton said he wanted to run a presidential campaign that would “bring this country back together,” talking “about patriotism, about security, about service.”
“These are issues that for too long Democrats have ceded to Republicans,” he said.
Marianne Williamson
Marianne Williamson has written 13 spiritual books including four New York Times number one best-sellers, but has barely registered in the polls.
She garnered 1% of the vote in a recent CNN national poll, putting her in the company of several senators and other well-known figures in the crowded Democratic race. She has qualified for the first debates, however, with a message of love and unity.
Tim Ryan
Tim Ryan jumped into the 2020 presidential race by portraying himself as a candidate who can bridge Democrats’ progressive and working class wings to win the White House.
The congressman resisted being labelled a political centrist, despite being a recreational hunter with past backing from the National Rifle Association. In 2015, he reversed his past opposition to abortion in favor of abortion rights.
Wayne Messam
Wayne Messam, a Florida mayor who played for the Seminoles in the 1990s, believes his city has much that the rest of the United States would like to have -- environmentally-friendly development, high-end manufacturing and major corporate operations.
He says the United States needs an economic plan that emphasizes educating adults and children to thrive amid ever-increasing automation, and one that better competes internationally.
John Hickenlooper
John Hickenlooper has hedged on supporting Democratic rallying cries like Medicare for All and the Green New Deal to combat climate change. He once worked as a geologist for a petroleum company and was roundly criticized for telling a congressional panel he drank fracking fluid while arguing for the safety of the energy extraction technique.
The former Colorado governor has cast himself as a can-do uniter who’s used to overcoming adversity and accomplishing liberal goals in a politically divided state.
Joe Sestak
The retired Navy admiral who calls himself “Admiral Joe” on his campaign website joins a crowded Democratic field seeking the nomination to challenge Mr Trump. He launched his longshot candidacy at a veterans’ museum in Waterloo, Iowa.
Mr Sestak decried what he calls “America’s retreat from the world” and said strong action is needed to deal with climate change, corporate accountability and China’s geopolitical threat.
Additional reporting by AP
