Sen. Bernie Sanders Monday announced he will run for reelection for a fourth term from Vermont in 2024.
The progressive two-time presidential candidate, who would be 89 years old at the end of a forthcoming six-year term, said in a video that he has unfinished business fighting for working people and the environment.
A self-described independent socialist who caucuses with Democrats, Sanders says his seniority gives him unrivaled leverage to push policies that he says make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans.
Sanders, who was born and raised in Brooklyn, famously mounted unsuccessful Democratic presidential primary campaigns in 2016 and 2020.
Despite occasional sharp criticism of President Biden, especially over his handling of Israel’s war in Gaza, Sanders has endorsed the president for reelection and appears to have permanently shelved his own White House ambitions.
Sanders will now be an overwhelming favorite to win another term in deep blue Vermont. He beat a GOP challenger by a more than 2-1 margin in 2018.
At 82, Sanders is the second-oldest senator, trailing only 90-year-old Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).
His decision to seek reelection removes a potential headache for Democrats. Although Vermont is one of the most heavily Democratic states in the nation, Gov. Phil Scott is a moderate Republican and could potentially have been a candidate for the Senate seat if Sanders were to retire.
Scott has not yet decided whether to run for reelection. He has said he would appoint a Democrat to replace Sanders if the aging senator were forced to step down due to health issues or if he died in office.
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