Who is running for president? A list of the candidates who have declared so far

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In this Jan. 21, 2019, photo, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., speaks to members of the media at her alma mater, Howard University in Washington. The 2020 presidential election already includes more than a half-dozen Democrats whose identities reflect the nation’s growing diversity, as well as embody the coalition that helped Barack Obama first seize the White House in 2008. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

The Iowa caucuses are about a year away, which means those planning to join what promises to be a crowded 2020 presidential campaign field are beginning to formally announce their candidacies.

From former Vice President Joe Biden to failed 2018 Texas Senate candidate Rep. Beto O’Rourke, speculation abounds about the wide field of potential Democratic candidates.

And there’s always the chance of a Republican emerging to challenge President Donald Trump in the primary or a third party candidate emerging in the general election. John Kasich, a former Ohio governor and fierce critic of Trump, has hinted he is considering both of those options.

There’s also the chance for a wild card, too. Will Bernie Sanders give it another go? What about Howard Schultz?

Here’s a breakdown of the people who have taken steps toward or officially announced their candidacies.

Pete Buttigieg

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg announces that he will not seek another term as mayor on Dec. 17, 2018 during a news conference at his office in South Bend, Ind. | Robert Franklin/South Bend Tribune via AP

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg announces that he will not seek another term as mayor on Dec. 17, 2018 during a news conference at his office in South Bend, Ind. | Robert Franklin/South Bend Tribune via AP

Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, launched his campaign for president with a video message promising to bring a “fresh start” to the White House.

The 37-year-old Democrat would be the first openly gay presidential nominee from a major political party if he manages to emerge victorious in the primary.

Buttigieg was elected South Bend’s mayor in 2012. In his campaign video, he points to national headlines that once called it a dying city. He led South Bend’s 100,000 residents to a comeback, he said, “by taking our eyes off the rear-view mirror.”

Julian Castro

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, a Democrat, says he’ll “likely” seek the presidency in 2020 after months of signs that former President Barack Obama’s housing secretary is preparing for a White House run. Castro told The Asso

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, a Democrat, says he’ll “likely” seek the presidency in 2020 after months of signs that former President Barack Obama’s housing secretary is preparing for a White House run. Castro told The Associated Press on Oct. 16, 2018 that the Democratic nomination is a wide-open race and says voters are open to considering new faces. | AP file photo

The former San Antonio mayor, who also served as secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development in the Obama administration, threw his hat into the ring early, announcing the formation of an exploratory committee in mid-December and formally declaring his candidacy on Jan. 12.

Castro, 44, made a splash six years ago as the keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention in 2012. The grandson of a Mexican immigrant and son of a Latina activist, he would be among the youngest candidates in the field and the most prominent Latino. His twin brother, Joaquin Castro, is a Democratic congressman from Texas.

John Delaney

You may not have heard of Maryland Rep. John Delaney, but he’s been a 2020 presidential candidate since July 2017.

Delaney, who founded two publicly traded companies, joined the House in 2013. He said his campaign will be focused on building up infrastructure to keep the U.S. globally competitive, along with international tax reform and a greater embrace of immigration.

Tulsi Gabbard

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii in 2018.

In this Nov. 6, 2018, file photo, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, greets supporters in Honolulu. Gabbard is formally launching her campaign for president. The 37-year-old on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019, announced she would seek the nation’s highest office with a video posted on her website. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia, File)

Marco Garcia/AP

Rep. Gabbard said on CNN that has decided to run for president and will be making a formal announcement soon.

The Hawaii congresswoman was elected in 2012. An Iraq veteran, Gabbard, 37, serves on the House Armed Services Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Kirsten Gillibrand

Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) speaks during a Commerce Committee hearing earlier this month on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) speaks during a Commerce Committee hearing earlier this month on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat, launched her campaign for the nation’s highest office on Jan. 15, on CBS’ Late Show with Stephen Colbert, telling the late-night comedian she would file to create an exploratory 2020 committee.

In a clip released by CBS, Gillibrand said she would run a campaign that emphasizes health care as a human right, improving public schools and improving job-training programs.

“I’m going to run for president of the United States because as a young mom, I’m going to fight for other people’s kids as hard as I fight for my own,” she told Colbert.

Kamala Harris

In this Jan. 21, 2019, photo, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., speaks to members of the media at her alma mater, Howard University in Washington. The 2020 presidential election already includes more than a half-dozen Democrats whose identities reflect the na

In this Jan. 21, 2019, photo, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., speaks to members of the media at her alma mater, Howard University in Washington. The 2020 presidential election already includes more than a half-dozen Democrats whose identities reflect the nation’s growing diversity, as well as embody the coalition that helped Barack Obama first seize the White House in 2008. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Sen. Kamala Harris of California made her announcement on Jan. 21 during an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America” and, six days later, formally opened her campaign with a rally in her hometown of Oakland, California.

“I feel a sense of responsibility to stand up for who we are,” she said.

Harris, 54, was born and raised in Oakland. In 2017, Harris, whose mother emigrated to the USA from India, became the first South Asian-American, and the second African-American female, senator in U.S. history, according to her biography on her Senate page.

Richard Ojeda

Richard Ojeda, a retired Army paratrooper and current West Virginia lawmaker, announced a 2020 presidential campaign. | Dylan Vidovich/The Logan Banner via AP

Richard Ojeda, a retired Army paratrooper and current West Virginia lawmaker, announced a 2020 presidential campaign. | Dylan Vidovich/The Logan Banner via AP

Former West Virginia state Sen. Richard Ojeda, a retired Army paratrooper who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, announced his candidacy after a failed campaign for a U.S. House seat in the 2018 midterm election. Ojeda says he will defend working-class Americans and end Washington corruption.

He first gained national attention when he was attacked and badly beaten at a campaign barbeque during his successful run for the state Senate in 2016.

Elizabeth Warren

Sen. Elizabeth Warren said Monday she’s launching an exploratory committee for the 2020 campaign. She’s the most prominent Democrat yet to make such a move. Warren is one of the most recognizable figures in the Democratic Party and a favorite target of Pr

Sen. Elizabeth Warren said Monday she’s launching an exploratory committee for the 2020 campaign. She’s the most prominent Democrat yet to make such a move. Warren is one of the most recognizable figures in the Democratic Party and a favorite target of President Donald Trump. | AP photo

The two-term Massachusetts senator announced in December she was forming an exploratory committee, the first step a presidential hopeful takes before formally declaring.

Warren, 69, came into the national spotlight for her passionate criticism of Wall Street, the banking industry and large corporations after the 2008 financial crisis hit. Then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid appointed her the chair on a panel to oversee the federal bailout in response to the crisis.

Warren won her Senate seat in 2012, defeating incumbent Republican Scott Brown and handily won re-election in 2018. A leader of her party’s liberal wing, she has advocated for progressive policies such as “Medicare for all.”

President Donald Trump

President Donald Trump walks through the Colonnade from the Oval Office of the White House on Friday on his way to the Rose Garden, where he would announce a deal to temporarily reopen the government. | Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press

President Donald Trump walks through the Colonnade from the Oval Office of the White House on Friday on his way to the Rose Garden, where he would announce a deal to temporarily reopen the government. | Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press

Trump filed for re-election the day he was inaugurated, and his campaign already has raised $100 million and begun airing TV and digital ads. He has said he intends to keep Vice President Mike Pence on the ticket. So far, no Republicans have emerged to challenge the president in the primary.

Contributing: Susan Page, Christal Hayes and Emma Kinery, USA TODAY; Vic Ryckaert, Indianapolis Star; The Associated Press.

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