There are two near certainties about the 2020 Democratic presidential field—it's going to be overwhelmingly large and it's going to start to come together way faster than in other cycles. 

Two candidates are already in the race (Maryland Rep. John Delaney jumped in more than a year ago), and Julián Castro dipped more than just a toe in the water this week by announcing an exploratory committee and that he'll announce his final decision in January. 

At least a handful of additional candidates are expected to announce sometime after the holiday season, allowing them to take full advantage of 2019's first fundraising quarter. 

With so many candidates to keep track of, here's the latest news from the dozens of candidates considering bids, and their timelines for making a decision where they've expressed a timeframe. 

Senators

• Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) — While Bennet has stayed out of the presidential spotlight, Colorado Public Radio reported that he’s seriously considering a bid, according to three people who spoke with Bennet about a potential candidacy.
• Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) — Booker traveled to New Hampshire again this month, a state he’s prioritized politically, where he told WMUR that he will take the holidays to decide whether he’ll run.
• Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) — Brown told New York Magazine that he and his wife have been “pretty overwhelmed by the number of people” that reached out telling him to consider running for president. 
• Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) — Casey told NBC News last month “We’ll see what happens” when asked twice if he plans to run for president.
• Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) — Gillibrand might be playing the long, long game, releasing a children’s book just days after the 2018 elections. But as far as wooing Americans who are eligible to vote in 2020, Gillibrand has kept up her public profile and made repeated assurances she’s considering a bid. 
• Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) — After concerns that Harris might lose her slot on the Senate Judiciary Committee thanks to seniority, Democrats struck a deal to keep her on the panel, giving her critical visibility as she weighs a 2020 bid. She told MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski during a December interview that she’ll decide over the holidays as well.
• Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) — Former Vice President Walter Mondale, a Minnesota political icon, told the New York Times he wants her to run, as her questioning of now Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh gained her more national notoriety.
• Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) — Merkley, who has been eyeing staff in Iowa and New Hampshire, tweeted last week he’s fine with there being no changes to the current state law that bars him from running for president and reelection on the same ballot. So all that’s left is for him to decide which office to run for.
• Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) — Sanders told New York Magazine last month that “if it turns out that I am the best candidate to beat Donald Trump, then I will probably run.” And his 2016 campaign manager, Jeff Weaver, told the Associated Press that Sanders’s success in 2016 will help them build a “much bigger campaign if he runs again.”
• Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) — As Politico reported this week, Warren is quietly building out a robust effort for a potential presidential bid. But she’s also had to battle some rough headlines too, specifically some second-guessing to her.

Governors, mayors and House members

• Gov. Steve Bullock (D-MT) – Bullock visited Nevada this past month, as Democratic Sen. Jon Tester had to walk back a declaration that Bullock would run for Senate in 2020.
• Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN) – The former Democratic National Committee chairman candidate will speak in Iowa for the Progress Iowa Holiday Party and has said he’ll make a decision on running by the end of the year.
• Rep. John Delaney (D-MD)—One of the two official Democratic candidates, Delaney continues to crisscross Iowa.
• Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)—Gabbard telegraphed a potential bid with comments during her recent trip to New Hampshire, and the Daily Beast reported she’s looking at staff.
• Mayor Eric Garcetti (D-CA)—Garcetti expects to decide in the next few months, arguing his would-be campaign would include three planks: national unity, “winning the future” and “getting sh** done.”
• Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-CO)—Hickenlooper hasn’t been shy about his interest in a gig, telling CNN this week he’s “probably 63, 64 percent” of the way to jumping in.
• Gov. Jay Inslee (D-WA)—Inslee told The Hill he’s “actively considering” running and recently, unsuccessfully, rallied supporters to oppose West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin’s elevation to ranking member of the Senate energy committee.
• Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX)—As our own Mark Murray wrote this week, “O’Rourke’s decision on 2020 might be the biggest shoe to drop on the Dem field.”
• Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) —Swalwell will also speak at the Progress Iowa event as he continues to travel to both Iowa and New Hampshire.

Others

• Michael Bloomberg—The former New York City mayor has mused about potentially selling his business if he runs, and traveled to Iowa to talk climate change.
• Former Vice President Joe Biden—After a high-profile stretch campaigning and crisscrossing the country during his book tour, Biden is expected to powwow with his family over the holidays about whether he should run for president again, according to the Associated Press.
• Julian Castro—The former Housing and Urban Development secretary announced Wednesday he’s exploring a presidential bid and will announce his ultimate decision in January.
• Eric Holder—Another former Obama cabinet member, Holder booked a February trip to Iowa as he continues to speak out on criminal justice issues.
• John Kerry—A third Obama administration veteran and the 2004 Democratic nominee, Kerry has publicly mulled a bid but emphasized earlier this month that he thinks “I doubt I’ll run for office again.”
• Richard Ojeda---Ojeda jumped into the race shortly after his failed congressional bid in West Virginia, running on an anti-corruption plank.
• Tom Steyer—The liberal billionaire traveled to South Carolina this month for an event, and has posted jobs for key staff in early presidential primary states on LinkedIn.