Joe Biden: US Senator, VP, 2020 presidential frontrunner: in photos

Former Vice President Joe Biden is quickly carving his own lane in the crowded field of Democratic presidential candidates.

Biden has maintained strong standing in most national and early voting state polls.

Of the nearly two dozen Democrats running for president, Biden has the longest career in Washington.

Former Vice President Joe Biden jumped in the race for president in April. Though he initially had a commanding lead in the polls, his lead has eroded as rivals such as Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren surged forward.

But he likely won't see it as a significant hurdle — throughout his eventful life and political career, Biden has overcome enormous obstacles to get to where he is today.

Read more: Joe Biden is running for president in 2020. Here's everything we know about the candidate and how he stacks up against the competition.

Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania on November 20, 1942 to a used car salesman, Biden moved with his family to Mayfield, Delaware, when he was 13 years old. From the get-go, he faced many trials growing up, including bullies and an embarrassing stutter.

As he says his father taught him, “The measure of a man is not how often he is knocked down, but how quickly he gets up.”

Throughout his long political trajectory, Biden has lived by his father's advice, and gotten back up after facing countless tragedies and challenges to achieve his political dreams.

Here's how a kid from Scranton became a respected senator, vice president, and now a 2020 presidential contender.

Joe Perticone contributed to an earlier version of this article.