Donald Trump vs Joe Biden: How do the Republican and Democratic US election tickets compare?

With Joe Biden announcing that Kamala Harris will join him on the Democratic presidential ticket this November, the 2020 presidential campaign is finally in full swing.

Mr Biden hopes the California senator offers the best chance of beating Donald Trump on November 3 with her rare ability to appeal to a wide voter base and her strong record serving on the Senate Intelligence committee.

Mr Trump has given no indication that he is considering replacing Mike Pence, his Vice President, on the Republican ballot this year, meaning we now know the full bill of the two presidential candidates' tickets.

With the full-line up finally unveiled, attention has turned to how the Democratic and Republican pairings match up.

Mr Biden and Ms Harris will be formally nominated as the presidential and vice presidential candidates at the Democratic Convention next week, while Mr Trump and Mr Pence will accept their nominations a week later at the Republican Convention.

But the first real test will be during the presidential debates, when the American public will finally see the political opponents face each other on the debate stage.

There are currently three presidential debates scheduled, beginning in September. One vice presidential debate has been scheduled between Mr Pence and Ms Harris in Utah on October 7.

So how do the candidates match up? We analyse the strengths and weaknesses of each politician.

Joe Biden

Strengths: Mr Biden is a centrist Democrat who can appeal to former Obama voters who turned to Mr Trump in 2016 and polls show he is more trusted on issues such as handling the coronavirus than Mr Trump. Americans of all stripes say Mr Biden is the candidate who can unite the country at a time of major divisions.

Weaknesses: Mr Biden's age - he is 77 - has caused concern among voters who fear he may struggle to cope with the demands of the Oval Office. This concern has been exacerbated by his long track record of making gaffes. Republicans are poised to exploit these verbal trip-ups, while Mr Trump has already begun sharing clips of Mr Biden's gaffes to question his mental acuity.

Read more: When is the US election 2020, and what are the key swing states?

Donald Trump

Strengths: Mr Trump has unshakeable loyalty from a core base of supporters, with more than a third of the country consistently supporting him, and showed in 2016 he can come from behind in the polls to claim victory. Polls show Americans trust Mr Trump with the economy more than Mr Biden, a key issue for many voters. The president also enjoys the advantage of being the incumbent which gives him the opportunity to use the White House as a backdrop for major announcements in the coming weeks.

Weaknesses: Mr Trump's great political strength - his ability to draw huge crowds to campaign rallies - has been hampered by lockdown-restrictions because of the coronavirus. Amid criticism of his handling of the pandemic, Mr Trump has a challenge to hold onto older and suburban voters who have been hit hard by the virus.

Mike Pence

Strengths: Mr Pence, a conservative Christian, proved crucial to Mr Trump's efforts to win the backing of Evangelical Christian voters in 2016, a feat he hopes to repeat this November. Mr Pence has been a strong advocate for nominating conservative judges and prioritising religious freedom over the last four years, issues likely to secure the support of conservatives.

Weaknesses: As the face of the White House coronavirus response, Mr Pence is inevitably tied to criticism of the government's handling of the pandemic and the country's huge death toll.

Kamala Harris

Strengths: Ms Harris is a skilled campaigner with the ability to energise crowds through her passionate stump speeches. Her centrist policies and record as a prosecutor make her difficult to paint as a radical Democrat who is weak on crime - the Trump campaign's favoured line of attack. As a biracial woman, Ms Harris is well placed to enact the sweeping changes many Americans have called for in the wake of the summer's racial inequality protests.

Weaknesses: Ms Harris' early demise in the Democratic presidential race suggests she lacks the ability to bring in big dollar donations - something that will be crucial to the two campaigns in the coming weeks. Ms Harris has flip-flopped on issues dear to the liberal wing of her party such a universal healthcare system and received an enthusiastic reception from young progressive voters whose support could prove crucial in November.

Read more: Who is Kamala Harris, Joe Biden's VP choice?