Feel the Bern for six more years.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), 82, the second-oldest member of the Senate, announced Monday that he will pursue a fourth term.
“This is the most important national election election in our lifetimes,” Sanders declared in a video statement. “We must fight to make sure that we remain a democracy, not an authoritarian society.”
“The stakes are enormous,” he added. “This is an election we must not lose.”
Sanders will be heavily favored to win re-election in deep-blue Vermont, which has not elected a Republican senator since Jim Jeffords in 1988. (Jeffords left the GOP in 2001 and served out his remaining term as an independent who caucused with the Democrats.)
The last Green Mountain State senator to remain a Republican through their entire term was Robert Stafford, who served more than 17 years before retiring after the 1988 election.
Only Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), 90, is older than Sanders, who will turn 83 on Sept. 8.
Sanders eschewed mention of age in his announcement and instead ticked through his track record of championing progressive causes across healthcare, housing, taxation, and more while insisting there is still more work to be done.
“We must fight to make sure that we have a government which represents the working families of our country, not the billionaire class and wealthy campaign contributors,” he said.
The self-described “democratic socialist” is rated as the most liberal member of the Senate, according to GovTrack. A two-time presidential candidate, Sanders chairs the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and has championed lefty wish-list items such as free college and a four-day work week.
Sanders was first elected to the Senate in 2006, succeeding Jeffords after 16 years in the House of Representatives.
Prior to coming to Washington, Sanders served eight years as mayor of Burlington, Vermont’s largest city.
Democrats are defending 23 seats in the November Senate elections, including all three held by independents who caucus with the party. Republicans are defending just 11 seats on Nov. 5.
