Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who opened his third run for the presidency on Thursday, holds political views that can look and sound similar to the priorities of many liberals, but differ on some key details. Mr. Biden, who has a longer record in politics than any other Democrat in the sprawling 2020 field, will come under close scrutiny for those differences; one liberal group, Justice Democrats, has already come out to oppose him because of “centrist” views.

His record has not always been helpful to him. Long before he entered the race, critics were already highlighting several of his past stances, including his inconsistent record on abortion, his support for the 1994 crime bill and his opposition to school busing as part of desegregation efforts in the 1970s. But it also points to the route he is hoping to take to the nomination: that of Democratic pragmatist, more inclined to bipartisanship and, in some cases, more moderate than other candidates.

Here’s an overview of Mr. Biden’s views on some major issues.

Economic policy

Mr. Biden has outlined a populist economic agenda focused on income inequality and workers’ rights. He endorsed a $15 minimum wage and free four-year public college in 2015; in a speech at the Brookings Institution in May 2018, he mentioned free college as one of five policies he said would help the middle class. (The other four were progressive tax reform, more worker protections, major infrastructure investments, and incentives for venture capitalists and other investors to spend outside of major cities.) He has called for a ban on noncompete agreements that prevent workers from taking jobs at competitors, and has advocated policies that would let workers discuss how much they are paid without retaliation.

“Why are we giving hedge fund millionaires tax breaks, but we can’t find the money to give families a real tax break for child care?” he said in the Brookings speech. “Why are sandwich makers being forced to sign noncompete clauses? Why are low-wage workers reclassified as managers? What possible reason is there for why an employee can’t tell other people what he or she makes? Is there any other reason than to depress wages?”