Vice President Joe Biden’s sons reportedly pushed him to launch a 2016 presidential bid.
According to the Wall Street Journal, it was his son Beau, who died last month of brain cancer at the age of 46, who pushed him the most to get into the 2016 race.
“It’s no secret that Beau wanted him to run,” Dick Harpootlian, a former chairman of South Carolina’s Democratic Party said. “If he does what Beau wanted him to do, he’ll run.”
According to James Smith, a Democratic state lawmaker in South Carolina, Biden’s other son Hunter, 46, reiterated that he wanted his father to jump into the race.
“He feels strongly about his dad running and serving,” Smith said.
According to several sources within Biden’s camp, they expect him to decide by August whether or not he will run.
“The Biden family is going through a difficult time right now. Any speculation about the views of the vice president or his family about his political future is premature and inappropriate,” the family said in a statement.
Biden, who is currently 72, previously ran for president in 1988 and 2008.
Should he enter, Biden would be a long-shot to win the Democratic nomination. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton remains the strong front-runner. With 12.8 points, Biden polls second in a RealClearPolitics average of polls, but well behind Clinton, who has 63.3 points.
