Former Vice President Joe Biden is running into immediate headwinds from some progressive Democrats from the party's left wing as he launches his 2020 presidential bid.
A group aligned with New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called Justice Democrats says in a lengthy statement that Biden is a centrist Democrat who could "divide the party." It says Biden could squelch progressive enthusiasm for policies like single-payer healthcare and a Green New Deal.
The group said Thursday the "old guard" already failed to defeat President Donald Trump in 2016 and cannot be counted on to excite the base in 2020. But the statement still notes that Justice Democrats will support whoever wins the Democratic nomination next year.
Biden joined the crowded Democratic presidential contest on Thursday morning, declaring the "soul of this nation" at stake if Trump wins re-election.
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