Joe Biden has formally entered the 2020 race for president.

The vice president under President Barack Obama made the announcement in a video released on Thursday morning.

READ MORE: Trump rekindles claims Britain helped Obama spy on his campaign

The move marks what will likely be the 76-year-old’s final opportunity to seek a job he has eyed for more than a generation.

One of the most recognisable names in US politics, Mr Biden leads most early Democratic primary polls.

READ MORE: Joe Biden: I’ll be more mindful of respecting personal space

But as an older white man who spent a half-century in Washington, it is unclear if he will be embraced by today’s increasingly liberal Democratic Party.

Mr Biden faces myriad questions about his past, including recent claims he touched women in an overly familiar manner without their consent.

Mr Biden has pledged to be “much more mindful” of respecting personal space.