Deep Democratic bench takes shape ahead of 2020

Washington: Senator Amy Klobuchar on Monday officially joined a crowded field of Democrats vying to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020 – already shaping up to be one of the largest and most diverse ever.

Klobuchar is now party of a group of White House hopefuls that includes other high-flying female US senators, charismatic veterans and a young gay mayor. And it is likely to grow before the US primary season gets underway a year from now.

Here are some of first entrants in the presidential race, 21 months before the election.

Amy Klobuchar: The 58-year-old granddaughter of an iron miner, Klobuchar is a former prosecutor with an unpretentious demeanor. She has quietly gained attention in Washington as a centrist. Klobuchar is known for putting partisanship aside to pass legislation.

Elizabeth Warren: At 69, the US Senate's consumer protection champion from Massachusetts became the first high-profile Democrat to enter the race when she announced a presidential exploratory committee on December 31. Warren is on the party's left flank, and built her reputation by holding Wall Street accountable for its missteps.

Kirsten Gillibrand: This New York senator made a name fighting the battle to end sexual assault, especially in military, before the #MeToo movement gained national prominence. The 52-year-old is a fierce Trump critic.

Kamala Harris: The daughter of Indian immigrant medical researcher mother and a Jamaican economist father, Harris, 54, began her career as a district attorney in San Francisco before serving as California's attorney general.