Joseph Robinette Biden Jr, was born on Nov. 20, 1942 in Scranton, PA. When he was eleven, he moved to Claymont, DE, where he would later began his long career in the United States government. 

At the age of 29, he became one of the youngest people to be elected into the Senate, where he represented the democratic party of Delaware.

In 1972, Biden had some tough roadblocks at the time of his election. His family was involved in a car accident that took the life of his one-year-old daughter, Naomi, and his wife, Neilia. His two sons were critically injured as well, but that did not stop him from carrying on. Biden was sworn into the Senate at the hospital from the bedside of his oldest son Beau.

For 17 years, he was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. During that time he either wrote and/ or co-wrote many laws that would have a great impact on America. 

In the early 1980’s he was involved in the Comprehensive Control Act of 1984. It expanded federal drug trafficking penalties and allowed police to seize and confiscate someone’s property without proving the person is guilty of a crime.

In the same decade he co-wrote the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 and Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. The 1986 Anti-Drug Abuse Act created a large gap between the sentencing for crack and powder cocaine. The 1988 bill increased prison sentences for drug possession and established the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which coordinates and leads federal anti-drug efforts. 

One of the more controversial bills that he wrote is the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. He received a lot of criticism for it. It gave harsher sentencing on the federal level, and encouraged states to do the same. Many people blamed the law for the increase in mass incarceration that was happening at the time.

After 36 years as a senator, he resigned in 2009 to assume to position of Vice President of the United States. Even though he stepped down from his position in the Senate, he continued to make laws throughout his two terms under Barack Obama’s presidency. 

While he was vice president, one of his most famous laws that he passed is passed is the 2013 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. This improved services for victims, strengthened justice for young victims, increased response to domestic violence from health care providers and provided protection to Native American and immigrant women. 

By the time Obama left office, Biden began to prepare for the 2020 general elections. He is among 14 other candidates, eleven of them being democrats. 

The former senator was dragged into controversy in the middle of his campaign. President Trump allegedly made a phone call to the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, to obtain dirt on Biden and his son. His youngest son, Hunter Biden, was involved in a Ukrainian gas company and Trump suspected illegal activity. 

This however, did not slow down Biden’s campaign. According to multiple major polls, he has been ahead for a majority of the race and continues to do so. For more information on where Biden stands in the race, visit realclearpolitics.com.