Biden to discuss 2020 bid with family over holidays: report

Former Vice President Joe Biden is reportedly planning to discuss with family members the possibility of mounting a bid for president in 2020 over the holidays.

Multiple sources close to Biden told The Associated Press that he will meet with longtime advisers and aides this week in Washington before stepping away from the public sphere for the rest of the month, during which the former vice president will discuss with family members the possibility of launching a campaign.

{mosads}Biden and former President Obama are not expected to meet in person over the next few weeks, according to the AP, despite Obama’s reported conversations with top 2020 prospects including Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas), whose unsuccessful Senate bid against Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) garnered nationwide attention.

Top allies of the 76-year-old Democrat told The Hill that the wishes of his family remain a top concern for Biden, who decided against running in 2016 following his son Beau’s death to brain cancer. Biden, they argue, faces little pressure to enter the race any time soon.

“That’s always the big question mark,” one ally told The Hill. “Where’s the family on this?” 

“A lot of folks are willing to give him time to decide,” added another Biden associate. “I don’t think anyone is overly worried about the timeline.”

Others have argued that the former vice president, who would be considered a top contender if not the front-runner for the nomination, should have taken steps earlier to begin building a campaign infrastructure.

“It’s just so sad, as he could have had the inside track with money now if he had done it differently. Now he’s got no advantage over other candidates with major-dollar donors,” one top Obama fundraiser told The Hill.

If he does decide to mount a bid, Biden could face prominent Democrats such as Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) are also said to be considering runs. Only one Democrat, Rep. John Delaney (Md.), has formally announced a candidacy, while former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro launched an exploratory committee on Wednesday.