HOME | DD

Description

Bernard "Bernie" Sanders (born September 8, 1941) is an American politician and the junior United States Senator from Vermont . He has announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in the 2016 presidential election .

Sanders is the longest-serving independent in U.S. congressional history. A self-described democratic socialist , [5] [6] [7] [8] he favors policies similar to those of social democratic parties in Europe, particularly those of Scandinavia . [9] [10] [11] He caucuses with the Democratic Party and has been the ranking minority member on the Senate Budget Committee since January 2015. [12]

After unsuccessful candidacies for Vermont's governor and U.S. senator, Sanders was elected mayor of Burlington , Vermont's most populous city, in 1981. He was reelected to three more two-year mayoral terms before being elected to represent Vermont's at-large congressional district in the United States House of Representatives in 1990. He served as a congressman for 16 years before being elected to succeed the retiring Republican -turned-independent Jim Jeffords in the U.S. Senate in 2006 . In 2012, he was re-elected by a large margin, capturing almost 71% of the popular vote.

Since his election to the Senate, Sanders has emerged as a leading progressive voice on issues like income inequality , [13] climate change , [14] and campaign finance reform . [15] He rose to national prominence on the heels of his 2010 filibuster [16] [17] of the proposed extension of the Bush-era tax rates for the wealthy. Sanders is also outspoken on civil liberties issues, and has been particularly critical of mass surveillance policies such as the Patriot Act . [18] [19]

Sanders announced his intentions to seek the Democratic Party 's nomination for President on April 30, 2015, in an address on the Capitol lawn. [20] [21] [22] His campaign was officially launched on May 26 in Burlington. [23] Unlike the other presidential candidates, Sanders will not pursue funding through a Super PAC , instead focusing on small individual donations. [24] His campaign events have been drawing "overflow crowds" around the country. [25] On July 1, 2015, Sanders's visit to Madison, Wisconsin drew the largest crowd of any 2016 presidential candidate so far, with an estimated turnout of 10,000. [26] [27] According to a June 25 poll, Sanders is running in a "dead heat " with Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. [28]

Description

Bernard "Bernie" Sanders (born September 8, 1941) is an American politician and the junior United States Senator from Vermont . He has announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in the 2016 presidential election .

Sanders is the longest-serving independent in U.S. congressional history. A self-described democratic socialist , [5] [6] [7] [8] he favors policies similar to those of social democratic parties in Europe, particularly those of Scandinavia . [9] [10] [11] He caucuses with the Democratic Party and has been the ranking minority member on the Senate Budget Committee since January 2015. [12]

After unsuccessful candidacies for Vermont's governor and U.S. senator, Sanders was elected mayor of Burlington , Vermont's most populous city, in 1981. He was reelected to three more two-year mayoral terms before being elected to represent Vermont's at-large congressional district in the United States House of Representatives in 1990. He served as a congressman for 16 years before being elected to succeed the retiring Republican -turned-independent Jim Jeffords in the U.S. Senate in 2006 . In 2012, he was re-elected by a large margin, capturing almost 71% of the popular vote.

Since his election to the Senate, Sanders has emerged as a leading progressive voice on issues like income inequality , [13] climate change , [14] and campaign finance reform . [15] He rose to national prominence on the heels of his 2010 filibuster [16] [17] of the proposed extension of the Bush-era tax rates for the wealthy. Sanders is also outspoken on civil liberties issues, and has been particularly critical of mass surveillance policies such as the Patriot Act . [18] [19]

Sanders announced his intentions to seek the Democratic Party 's nomination for President on April 30, 2015, in an address on the Capitol lawn. [20] [21] [22] His campaign was officially launched on May 26 in Burlington. [23] Unlike the other presidential candidates, Sanders will not pursue funding through a Super PAC , instead focusing on small individual donations. [24] His campaign events have been drawing "overflow crowds" around the country. [25] On July 1, 2015, Sanders's visit to Madison, Wisconsin drew the largest crowd of any 2016 presidential candidate so far, with an estimated turnout of 10,000. [26] [27] According to a June 25 poll, Sanders is running in a "dead heat " with Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. [28]