Democrats desperate to trounce Donald Trump are asking if it is time to fight the former reality TV frontman by drawing on some star power of their own.

Oprah Winfrey electrified a ballroom full of celebrities at the Golden Globes on Sunday night with a call for justice for women in a culture “broken by brutally powerful men”, triggering speculation that she is contemplating a presidential run in 2020.

The potency of Ms Winfrey’s appeal is unquestioned: a self-made media and business billionaire, she has enormous cultural clout while lacking the political baggage that dogged the likes of Hillary Clinton. In the era of Trump, where media savvy and an outsider’s status have proved more valuable than detailed understanding of policy or governance, some analysts argue that she could be a serious contender.