Chris Coons: 'I'm confident' Biden will run in 2020

Former Vice President Joe Biden so far has stayed on the sidelines as the 2020 Democratic field has grown, but Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware says that may change soon.

Coons said during an interview on "CBS This Morning" that Biden "is moving closer" to announcing his presidential campaign.

"He’s someone who I am confident is going to run," the senator said. "I’m optimistic he’s going to run. Everything is being put in place, but that last decision, which understandably is a big decision."

Biden has been laying the groundwork for a possible presidential bid, and if he decides to run, he will join a large, diverse field of Democrats vying for the party’s nomination.

The former vice president has been leading in polls despite not officially announcing. Biden was at 27 percent in the Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom poll released Saturday evening, and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders followed Biden with 25 percent.

Biden is also leading in an average of polling, according to RealClear Politics.

Coons, who won a special election after Biden resigned as senator to become vice president, added that Biden’s age won’t deter voters, instead pointing to a possible Biden opponent.

"Frankly, first, there’s another person his age who’s getting tens of thousands of young, excited people in the last campaign," Coons said, referring to Sanders, who gained a massive following during the 2016 election that included many college-age students.

The Delaware Democrat said Biden’s experience is what will push him ahead of the rest of the candidates.

"He has more experience both in the Senate and as vice president in the executive and legislative than any other candidate running," Coons said. "Arguably than all other candidates combined."

"We don’t need someone who’s doing on-the-job training," he said.