The US 2020 elections may seem far away but the aggressive campaigning has already begun. With four debates that have taken place so far, the democratic race is in full swing however with a crowded field, it’s almost hard to distinguish the candidates. Five candidates have pushed their way to the top so let’s take a look that these front runners:  

Joe Biden

Leading in the polls at around 24% Joe Biden the former vice-president seems to be strides ahead of the other candidates. Representing a more moderate Democratic candidate Biden passionately supports the Affordable Care Act and speaks about asserting the US as a global leader in foreign policy matters. Many of those nostalgic for the Obama-era administration find themselves in support of Biden. During rallies and debates, Biden frequently sites Obama and their close friendship during the administration. However, he’s been repeatedly criticized for using Obama when convenient to gain support, furthermore, he’s been prone to gaffes and inaccurately recalling stories leading to the question: can he really stay ahead in the polls?

Elizabeth Warren

Just trailing Biden in the polls at 20% is Elizabeth Warren, a former law professor and current senator of Massachusetts. With the unofficial campaign slogan “I have a plan for that,” she does indeed seem to have a plan for almost every issue. Notably, she has impressive plans for a wealth tax, cancelling student loan debt and Medicare for all.  Although, her similar position to Bernie Sanders has made it difficult for her to separate her ideas from his and her far left-leaning may ostracize some of the democratic voters. 

Bernie Sanders

Bernie Sanders, a self-proclaimed Democratic-Socialist in the far left lane of the race with a substantial grassroots campaign, has made a splash in the democratic party. He is an independent senator from Vermont who previously ran in the primaries of the 2016 U.S presidential elections. In the first 24 hours of his announcement, he raised 5.9 billion dollars in donations, falling just short of Beto’s record, but nonetheless, this is a considerable amount. Even though he is a 77-year-old man he has the policy ideas of many millennials. Mainstreaming medicare for all, and tuition-free college. He also has pushed for higher takes on the rich to give advantages to middle and lower-class Americans. In the first week of his campaign, he received massive crowds in both Chicago and Brooklyn. Although there are concerns about his age (he would be the oldest president in history),  he’s polling at 16% so everyone still seems to be “Feeling the Bern”.  

Pete Buttigieg

The 37-year-old mayor is a stark contrast to Donald Trump. For starters, he is the first openly gay candidate for president and currently the youngest candidate in this race, additionally, he is a veteran who speaks eight languages. And as Buttigieg puts it “I’m definitely the only left-handed Maltese-American-Episcopalian-gay-millennial-war veteran in the race, but I think the profile is just what gets you that first look.” With more moderate views than Sanders or Warren, he is working to bridge generational gaps, especially within the democratic party. Starting out as an underdog as we has previously fairly unknown but he has been a successful fundraiser and is currently leading polls in Iowa. Buttigieg is also notably, the first candidate to notably push for supreme court reforms but his complicated history with black Americans in his hometown of South Bend Indiana may cause problems in future polls. The real question is if Pete Buttigieg can harness his newfound popularity to push in front of the frontrunners.

Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris, the popular and established Californian politician entered the race on January 21, 2019. She previously worked as Attorney General for California and now works as a Democratic Senator. Currently polling at around 5% with her progressive views, a down-to-earth personality and multi-cultural background, she has gained support from all ends of the democratic party. Her Jamaican and Tamil-Indian background is both interesting and given her the support of many, immigrants and black women in the Democratic party. Her platform does not shy away from progressive ideals as she supports marijuana legalization, universal healthcare and raising the minimum wage. Although her history as a prosecutor has been repeatedly questioned in debates.  She continues to bring new ideas and supports liberal policies while working, as she puts it, For The People.