Meet the Democrats running in 2020

Nicole Revilla, Co Editor-in-Chief

As President Trump reaches the midway point in his presidential term, many people have begun turning their eyes to the upcoming Democratic candidates that are set to face him in 2020.

The 2020 democratic playing field has begun growing rather swiftly with candidates revealing their intentions on a seemingly everyday basis.

The Democratic Party has been pretty straightforward in their plans to get Trump out of office.

Here’s a look at the Democrats who have decided to throw their hats in the ring.

This list will continue to be updated depending on whether more candidates announce their campaign or others opt to drop out.

Senator Bernie Sanders

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, whose historic 2016 presidential campaign reshaped Democratic politics, announced on Feb. 19, 2019, that he is running for president in 2020.

Sanders has proved popular with the younger crowd, during the 2016 presidential election he advocated for free higher education for all Americans.

Sanders is known to be a radical progressive, he models his beliefs over many European countries’ systems.

Senator Cory Brooker

The U.S. Senator from New Jersey announced his intent to run for the democratic nomination for president on Friday, February 1 through a video posted on his official website.

Brooker is a graduate from Stanford University and Yale Law School, he served as mayor of Newark, New Jersey and  he was elected to the Senate in 2013.

Brooker is known for his focus on criminal justice reform and impassioned speeches on immigration.

Senator Elizabeth Warren

The 69 year old senator from Massachusetts announced her official intent to run for president in 2020 on New Years’ Eve.

Warren has been known to be an outspoken critic of Donald Trump and has been involved in conflicts with the president such as last year when he called her out for her stance on being Native American.

Warren is also a sharp critic of Wall Street and big corporations and has made her a favorite among progressive activists, she will campaign on a message of a rigged economic system and income inequality.

John Delaney

The former Maryland Congressman kicked off his campaign in mid 2017 and has delivered his message of pragmatism to the voters of all 99 Iowa counties.

Delaney, a banking entrepreneur, also wants to build a big-tent party that appeals to independents and moderate Republicans.

Delaney has also pitched himself as a bipartisan problem-solver, but has also endorsed liberal causes like universal healthcare.

Julián Castro

Julian Castro announced his intention to run for president on Jan. 12, 2019 in San Antonio.

Julian Castro was the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under the Obama administration and the former mayor of San Antonio, he opted out of challenging Ted Cruz for a spot in the U.S. Senate during the midterm elections in order to pursue his campaign for presidency.

Castro has emphasized a platform of universal pre-kindergarten, “Medicare for all” and immigration reform.

Senator Amy Klobuchar

The Minnesota senator announced her run for candidacy on Feb. 10, 2019.

Klobuchar is seen as the most prominent Midwestern candidate in the field, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Klobuchar became popular among Democrats during her stern questioning of Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearings.

In regards to policy, Klobuchar has been instrumental in creating legislation to combat the opioid crisis in the U.S., and has addressed the problem of rising cost of prescription drugs.

Senator Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris is the former attorney general of the state of California and is a first time senator representing California.

She announced her intent to run on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and if successful will be the first African American woman to win the presidential nomination.

Harris has been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump’s cabinet appointees.

Harris has unveiled middle-class tax cut legislation and is a liberal civil rights activist in the Senate’s agenda.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

The senator from New York announced her campaign on Jan. 15.

Gillibrand used to lean conservative when she was a member of the House however has transformed herself into a progressive activist in Trump’s administration and is a leading liberal voice for the Senate.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard

The congresswoman from Hawaii announced her intent to run on CNN’s “The Van Jones Show” on Jan 11.

Gabbard has listed criminal justice reform, climate change, and health care reform as issues she wants to tackle during her campaign.

She has been a critic of American military intervention overseas including in countries like Syria.

Gabbard has been accused of anti-LGBTQ comments in the past and her past work in an anti-gay advocacy group.

Marianne Williamson

Williamson is known as a spiritual guru and a new age author of over a dozen self-help and spirituality books, she believes the country recieved a “miracle” in 1776 and is due for a new one in 2020.

Williamson ran for congress in 2014 however lost, she announced her intention to run in 2020 in November of 2018.

She has proposed $100 billion in reparations for slavery, with $10 billion to be distributed annually over a decade for economic and educational projects.

Andrew Yang

Andrew Yang is a former tech executive who founded an economic development nonprofit.

Yang announced his campaign on Nov. 6, 2017.

His central platform is a plan to create a universal basic income that will be funded by the government.

Yang has drawn social media attention by talking about problems related to robotics and artificial intelligence.

Pete Buttigieg

Buttigieg is the mayor of South Bend, Indiana and is also a military veteran.

Buttigieg announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination on January 23, 2019 via a video and email sent to his supporters.

He began to draw attention after writing an essay that counseled Democrats on how to recover from their loss in the 2016 election.

Buttigieg has stressed his youth as a part of his platform and qualifications, he has also called for policies on issues on climate change and economic opportunity.

Future Candidates?

Another candidate who is expecting to join the run are former El Paso Congressman Beto O’Rourke.

O’Rourke is set to make his formal decision in the upcoming days, however it looks as though he is in.

O’Rourke announced that he would not be challenging John Coryn for his Senate seat in 2020, indicating his intention to run for president instead.

“Amy and I have made a decision about how we can best serve our country,” O’Rourke said about his future plans, “We are excited to share it with everybody soon.”

Another promising presidential candidate who has not officially announced his campaign is former Vice President Joe Biden.

Biden and O’Rourke are also the candidates with the highest appeal rating among Democrats and yet they have not officially announced yet.

Biden has remained seemingly hesitant about whether to give it a go, but many experts say O’Rourke’s potential announcement may speed up his as well.