Joe Biden 'considering running for president in 2020'

Former Vice President could stand in 2020, says his daughter

Joe Biden (centre) would have put himself forward for the Democratic nomination at the last election, but decided not to run, citing the grief caused by the death of his son, Beau, from brain cancer in 2015 (Alex Wong/Getty)

Joe Biden is considering running for US President at the next election, his daughter has said.

Ashley Biden, 36, said the former Vice President – who was jointly elected twice with Barack Obama – could potentially run for the Democratic nomination in 2020.

"If he is in good health, knock on wood, and seeing what the landscape is at the time, yeah I think he is considering it," Ms Biden, a fashion designer, said in an interview with Women's Wear Daily.

Mr Biden was expected to put himself forward for the Democratic nomination at the last election, but decided not to run, citing grief caused by the death of his son, Beau, from brain cancer in 2015.

Ms Biden said she hoped her father would stand for the nomination, but urged caution, since he had not yet made a decision.

“Right now, his focus is on the [Biden] Foundation and Cancer Moonshot, as well as getting other Democrats elected.

"He's not there. He's taking it day by day after the loss of my dear beloved brother,” she said.

Ms Biden added that her father would make the decision nearer the time, since "a lot can happen in four years".

Explaining his decision not to run for nomination at the last election, Mr Biden said in 2016: “I lost part of my soul when my boy died.

“You should never, ever, ever commit to run for president unless you know you can look the people in the eye and say: 'I guarantee you, you have all of my being, all of my energy, all of my family's energy to get this done.' I wish I were a better man but I just wasn't ready to do that.”

A joint poll by Morning Consult and Politico in June found that Mr Biden was a firm favourite to secure the nomination, with 74 per cent of Democrats saying they had favourable views of him.