Bernie Sanders is a prominent American politician currently serving as a U.S. Senator for Vermont since 2007. As the longest-serving independent in Congress, he closely aligns with the Democratic Party, having caucused with them throughout his career and twice campaigned for their presidential nomination. Sanders is a leading figure in the modern American progressive movement, advocating for policies such as universal healthcare, free college tuition, and a higher minimum wage. He is known for his populist rhetoric and criticism of economic inequality.
Senator Bernie Sanders spoke at the 'No Kings' rally in Washington D.C., condemning Trump and billionaires. Adam Schiff shared a video with Bill Nye at the rally. Sanders focused on economic inequality.
In 1948, Vito Marcantonio from the American Labor Party, won his last term. Sanders was the first socialist elected to the House since Vito Marcantonio.
In 1952, Frazier Reams of Ohio won his second term. Sanders was the first independent elected to the US House of Representatives since this.
In 1956, Bernie Sanders was first introduced to political activism when his brother Larry joined the Young Democrats of America and campaigned for Adlai Stevenson II.
In 1963, Bernie Sanders and Deborah Shiling Messing, volunteered for several months on the Israeli kibbutz Sha'ar HaAmakim.
In 1963, Bernie Sanders and his first wife volunteered at Sha'ar HaAmakim, a kibbutz in northern Israel, in cooperation with the Labor Zionist youth movement Hashomer Hatzair. His motivation was both socialistic and Zionistic.
In 1964, Bernie Sanders married Deborah Shiling Messing.
In 1966, Bernie Sanders and Deborah Shiling Messing divorced.
In 1969, Bernie Sanders' son, Levi Sanders, was born to then-girlfriend Susan Campbell Mott.
In 1971, Bernie Sanders joined Vermont's Liberty Union Party and was a candidate for several offices.
Sanders considers Heather Titus (born 1971) to be his own.
In 2018, Sanders invoked the 1973 War Powers Resolution. The War Powers Resolution of 1973 is a federal law intended to check the U.S. president's power to commit the United States to an armed conflict without the consent of the U.S. Congress.
Sanders considers Carina Driscoll (born 1974) to be his own.
Sanders considers Dave Driscoll (born 1975) to be his own.
In 1977, Bernie Sanders quit the Liberty Union Party to become an independent.
In 1980, Bernie Sanders served as an elector for the Socialist Workers Party.
In 1981, Bernie Sanders campaigned against Burlington developer Tony Pomerleau's unpopular plans to convert the industrial waterfront into expensive condominiums, hotels, and offices. Running under the slogan "Burlington is not for sale," he successfully supported a plan that redeveloped the waterfront area into a mixed-use district with housing, parks, and public spaces.
In 1981, Bernie Sanders ran as an independent for mayor of Burlington, Vermont, and defeated the Democratic incumbent.
In 1983, Bernie Sanders attended the conference of the Socialist Party USA where he gave a speech.
In 1984, Bernie Sanders endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Walter Mondale, although his endorsement was lukewarm.
In 1985, Bernie Sanders, as mayor of Burlington, hosted a foreign policy speech by Noam Chomsky at Burlington City Hall. He introduced Chomsky, praising him as "a very vocal and important voice in the wilderness of intellectual life in America".
In 1986, Bernie Sanders started hosting and producing a public-access television program, Bernie Speaks with the Community.
In December 1987, Bernie Sanders recorded a folk album, We Shall Overcome, with 30 Vermont musicians, performing his vocals in a talking blues style due to his lack of singing skills.
In 1987, Bernie Sanders collaborated with 30 Vermont musicians to record a folk album, We Shall Overcome.
On May 28, 1988, Bernie Sanders married Jane O'Meara Driscoll in Burlington, Vermont.
During a trip to the Soviet Union in 1988, Bernie Sanders interviewed the mayor of Burlington's sister city Yaroslavl about housing and health care issues in the two cities.
In 1988, Bernie Sanders appeared in a cameo role in the comedy-drama film Sweet Hearts Dance, playing a man who distributes candy to trick-or-treaters.
In 1988, Bernie Sanders ended his public-access television program, Bernie Speaks with the Community.
In 1988, Bernie Sanders endorsed Jesse Jackson for president enthusiastically.
In 1988, Bernie Sanders first ran for the US House of Representatives, adopting a strategy of winning the Democratic Party primary and then running as an independent in the general election.
In 1988, Bernie Sanders ran for the U.S. House seat representing Vermont's at-large congressional district as an independent and placed second with 38% of the vote.
When Bernie Sanders left office in 1989, Bouricius, a member of the Burlington city council, stated that Sanders had "changed the entire nature of politics in Burlington and also in the state of Vermont."
In 1990, Bernie Sanders' bid to become a US Representative benefitted from the National Rifle Association of America opposing the campaign of Peter Smith due to Smith's reversed stance on firearm restrictions and waiting periods for handgun purchases.
In 1991, Bernie Sanders co-founded the Congressional Progressive Caucus, a group of mostly liberal Democrats, and chaired it for its first eight years.
In 1991, Bernie Sanders voted against the resolutions authorizing the use of force against Iraq.
In 1991, Bernie Sanders was elected to the US House of Representatives, becoming the first independent elected since 1952 and the first socialist elected since 1948.
On February 7, 1992, Bernie Sanders sponsored the Cancer Registries Amendment Act to establish cancer registries to collect data on cancer, due to his concern about high breast cancer rates in Vermont.
On October 2, 1992, Senator Patrick Leahy introduced a companion bill in the Senate for the Cancer Registries Amendment Act.
On October 24, 1992, President George H. W. Bush signed the Cancer Registries Amendment Act into law, after it was passed by the House on October 6 and the Senate bill was passed.
In 1993, Bernie Sanders voted against the Brady Bill, which mandated federal background checks for gun purchases and imposed a waiting period. He explained that his Vermont constituents saw waiting-period mandates as more appropriately a state matter. The bill passed with a vote of 238-187.
In 1993, while a US representative, Bernie Sanders voted against the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which established background checks and wait periods for gun purchases.
During the 1994 Republican Revolution, Bernie Sanders won reelection to the House of Representatives by 3%, securing 50% of the vote.
In 1994, Bernie Sanders voted for the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act because it included the Violence Against Women Act and a ban on certain assault weapons. While critical of other parts of the bill, he acknowledged the need to protect society from violent individuals but also emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of violence.
Since 1995, Congress was entirely under Republican control. In 2005, Rolling Stone called Bernie Sanders the "amendment king" for his ability to get more roll call amendments passed than any other congressman during the period since then.
In 1996, Bernie Sanders voted against a bill that would have prohibited police from purchasing tanks and armored carriers.
In 1996, Bernie Sanders voted against additional funding to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for research on issues related to firearms.
In 1998, Bernie Sanders voted for a bill that would have increased minimum sentencing for possessing a gun while committing a federal crime to ten years in prison, including nonviolent crimes such as marijuana possession.
In 1999, Bernie Sanders acted in the film My X-Girlfriend's Wedding Reception, playing Rabbi Manny Shevitz, who mourned the Brooklyn Dodgers' move to Los Angeles.
In 1999, Bernie Sanders voted and advocated against rolling back the Glass–Steagall legislation provisions that kept investment banks and commercial banks separate entities.
In October 2000, China had been extended the permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status. In February 2005, Bernie Sanders introduced a bill that would have withdrawn it.
In 2001, Bernie Sanders voted for the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists that has been cited as the legal justification for controversial military actions since the September 11 attacks.
In 2002, Bernie Sanders voted against the resolutions authorizing the use of force against Iraq.
In June 2003, Bernie Sanders criticized Federal Reserve chair Alan Greenspan during a question-and-answer discussion, stating that he was concerned that Greenspan was "way out of touch" and representing the wealthy and large corporations.
In 2003, Bernie Sanders opposed the invasion of Iraq, especially the Bush administration's decision to start a war unilaterally.
In February 2005, Bernie Sanders introduced a bill that would have withdrawn the permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status that had been extended to China in October 2000, citing the loss of American jobs.
On April 21, 2005, Bernie Sanders entered the race for the U.S. Senate after Senator Jim Jeffords announced his retirement.
In May 2005, Bernie Sanders received endorsements from Senate minority leader Harry Reid and Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean, who considered Sanders an ally who "votes with the Democrats 98% of the time."
In June 2005, Bernie Sanders proposed an amendment to limit Patriot Act provisions that allow the government to obtain individuals' library and book-buying records. The amendment passed the House but was later removed in House–Senate negotiations.
In 2005, Bernie Sanders voted for legislation that gave gun manufacturers legal immunity against claims of negligence.
In 2005, Bernie Sanders voted for the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which aimed to prevent firearms manufacturers and dealers from being held liable for negligence when crimes are committed with their products.
In 2005, Rolling Stone called Bernie Sanders the "amendment king" for his ability to get more roll call amendments passed than any other congressman during the period since 1995, when Congress was entirely under Republican control.
In March 2006, then-Senator Barack Obama campaigned for Bernie Sanders in Vermont. Sanders entered into an agreement with the Democratic Party to be listed in their primary but to decline the nomination should he win.
In 2006, Bernie Sanders first ran for the US Senate, often adopting a strategy of winning the Democratic Party primary, thereby eliminating Democratic challengers, and then running as an independent in the general election.
In 2007, Bernie Sanders became a senator after serving as a representative from 1991.
In 2007, Sanders caucusing with the Democrats gave them a 51–49 majority in the Senate during the 110th Congress.
In 2007, Sanders helped kill a bill introducing comprehensive immigration reform, arguing that its guest-worker program would depress wages for American workers.
In 2008, Bernie Sanders voted against the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), designed to purchase toxic banking assets and provide loans to struggling banks.
On February 4, 2009, Bernie Sanders sponsored an amendment to ensure that TARP funds would not displace US workers. The amendment passed and was added to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
In mid-December 2009, Sanders successfully added a provision to the Affordable Care Act to fund $11 billion to community health centers, especially those in rural areas.
In 2009, Bernie Sanders supported legalizing same-sex marriage in Vermont, reflecting his long-standing advocacy for LGBT rights.
On December 10, 2010, Bernie Sanders delivered an 8-hour and 34-minute speech against the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, arguing it would favor the wealthiest Americans.
In 2010, Sanders supported the DREAM Act, which would have provided a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who had been brought to the United States as minors.
In February 2011, Nation Books published Bernie Sanders' speech as The Speech: A Historic Filibuster on Corporate Greed and the Decline of Our Middle Class, with authorial proceeds going to Vermont nonprofit charitable organizations.
In August 2011, a poll found that Sanders's approval rating was 67% and his disapproval rating 28%, making him then the third-most popular US senator.
In 2011, Sanders suggested it was "a good idea" for someone to challenge Obama in the primaries.
Bernie Sanders was reelected in 2012 with 71% of the vote.
During the 2012 Democratic presidential primaries, Sanders reportedly considered running against President Obama in the primaries.
In November 2013, Sanders suggested that Senator Elizabeth Warren could be president and that she might earn his backing if she ran.
As of 2013, Burlington was regarded as one of the most livable cities in the United States, a testament to Sanders's work as mayor.
In 2013, Bernie Sanders's elder brother, Larry, retired from the Oxfordshire County Council, where he represented the East Oxford division as a Green Party county councillor.
In 2013, Sanders supported the Gang of Eight's comprehensive immigration reform bill after securing a $1.5 billion youth jobs program provision.
In 2013, Sanders was chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs during the Veterans Health Administration scandal.
In 2013, as chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging, Sanders introduced legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the Older Americans Act, which supports Meals on Wheels and other programs for seniors.
On June 9, 2014, Sanders sponsored the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014 to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs.
On July 31, 2014, Sanders' Veterans' Access to Care Act was incorporated into the House version of the bill, and passed both chambers.
On August 7, 2014, the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, which incorporated Sanders' bill, was signed into law by President Obama.
In December 2014, Senator Elizabeth Warren said she was not running for president.
Sanders ranked third most popular senator in 2014.
On April 30, 2015, Sanders announced his intention to seek the Democratic Party's nomination for president.
In May 2015, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced a schedule of six debates, which drew criticism for its limited number of debates and timing, with some alleging it was designed to protect Hillary Clinton.
In June 2015, Bernie Sanders's campaign events began to draw unexpectedly large crowds across the country, marking a significant surge in his campaign's visibility and support.
On July 1, 2015, Bernie Sanders's campaign stop in Madison, Wisconsin, attracted the largest crowd of any 2016 presidential candidate up to that point, with an estimated turnout of 10,000 people.
On July 29, 2015, a meetup organized online brought 100,000 supporters to more than 3,500 simultaneous events nationwide.
In September 2015, The New York Times's ombudsman reviewed the paper's coverage of the Sanders campaign and found it "hasn't always taken it very seriously", noting a dismissive tone and less coverage compared to Trump's campaign.
In October 2015, on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Bernie Sanders discussed his religious views, describing himself as "not particularly religious" but believing in God in his own way, emphasizing the interconnectedness of life.
On November 15, 2015, in response to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)'s attacks in Paris, Bernie Sanders cautioned against Islamophobia and said, "We gotta be tough, not stupid" in the war against ISIL, adding that the US should continue to welcome Syrian refugees.
In November 2015, Bernie Sanders gave a speech at Georgetown University about his view of democratic socialism. He discussed its place in the policies of presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson. Sanders defined democratic socialism as the middle class and working families deserving a decent standard of living, while supporting private companies that thrive and invest in America.
In a November 2015 Morning Consult poll, Sanders reached an 83% approval rating among his constituents, making him the most popular US senator.
On December 4, 2015, Bernie Sanders won Time's 2015 Person of the Year readers' poll with 10.2% of the vote, though he did not receive the editorial board's award.
A December 2015 report revealed that major networks like CBS, NBC, and ABC devoted significantly more airtime to covering Trump than Sanders, despite their comparable polling results.
In 2015, Bernie Sanders attended a Tashlikh, an atonement ceremony, with the mayor of Lynchburg on the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah.
In 2015, Larry Sanders ran as a Green Party candidate for Oxford West and Abingdon in the British general election and came in fifth.
In 2015, Sanders became the ranking minority member on the Senate Budget Committee.
In 2015, a study found that Sanders received media coverage that far exceeded his standing in the polls, but in 2016, media coverage was consistent with his polling performance. Additionally, the tone of media coverage for Sanders was more favorable than other candidates.
Sanders' presidential campaign reached 3.25 million donations by the end of January 2016, raising $20 million in that month alone.
On February 6, 2016, Bernie Sanders guest-starred alongside Larry David on Saturday Night Live, playing a Polish immigrant on a steamship sinking near the Statue of Liberty.
In February 2016, the Clinton and Sanders campaigns agreed in principle to hold four additional debates, bringing the total to ten. However, Clinton later withdrew from the tenth debate.
On March 15, 2016, during Super Tuesday III, major news outlets broadcast the speeches of Trump, Clinton, Rubio, and Cruz, but omitted Sanders's rally speech in Phoenix, despite it being larger than the others. Meanwhile, other media promoted the narrative that the contest between Sanders and Clinton was "heating up".
On March 17, 2016, Sanders said he would support Merrick Garland's nomination to the Supreme Court, though he added, "there are some more progressive judges out there."
On March 20, 2016, Bernie Sanders was given an honorary Lushootseed name, dxʷshudičup, by Deborah Parker in Seattle, honoring his focus on Native American issues during his presidential campaign.
In April 2016, Bernie Sanders accepted an invitation to speak at a Vatican conference on economic and environmental issues and met briefly with Pope Francis.
In April 2016, former Sanders campaign staffers formed Brand New Congress, a political organization aiming to elect congressional representatives aligned with Sanders's platform.
In May 2016, an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll revealed that while Clinton and Trump were in a "dead heat", Sanders would defeat Trump by a significant margin. The poll also indicated that Sanders had a more favorable rating among voters compared to Clinton and Trump.
On July 12, 2016, Sanders formally endorsed Hillary Clinton in her unsuccessful general election campaign against Republican Donald Trump.
In July 2016 some of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) emails leaked to the public showed that the committee leadership had favored Clinton over him and had worked to help Clinton win the nomination.
In July 2016, a Slate article called the Democratic platform draft "a monument to his campaign," highlighting his impact on issues such as minimum wage, Social Security, carbon tax, Wall Street reform, the death penalty, and marijuana legalization.
In July 2016, a leak of Democratic National Committee's emails showed DNC officials favoring Clinton over Sanders, with discussions about using Sanders's irreligious views as a campaign issue.
In August 2016, Sanders formed Our Revolution, a political organization dedicated to educating voters, promoting political engagement, and electing progressive candidates at various levels of government.
In November 2016, Sanders's book "Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In" was released and quickly became a bestseller.
After Trump's victory in the 2016 elections, Bernie Sanders suggested the Democratic Party undergo a series of reforms and that it "break loose from its corporate establishment ties and, once again, become a grass-roots party of working people, the elderly and the poor."
After the final primary election in 2016, Hillary Clinton became the presumptive Democratic nominee. On July 12, Bernie Sanders formally endorsed Clinton but refused to formally concede before the convention. He spoke at the 2016 Democratic National Convention on July 25, during which he gave Clinton his full support.
As of 2016, Bernie Sanders stated that he has since changed his position on the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act and would vote for legislation to defeat the bill.
During the 2016 Democratic primary, the Facebook group Bernie Sanders' Dank Meme Stash gained attention for its meme community focused on Sanders.
In 2016, Bernie Sanders called for an increase in CDC funding for the study of gun violence.
In 2016, Bernie Sanders described his upbringing as an American Jew, noting his father's limited synagogue attendance, his mother's dissatisfaction with his Hebrew school, and their Passover seders with neighbors.
In 2016, Bernie Sanders disclosed that he had "very strong religious and spiritual feelings," linking his spirituality to the well-being of others, such as hungry children and homeless veterans.
In 2016, Bernie Sanders voted for the Federal Reserve Transparency Act, which included proposals for a reformed audit of the Federal Reserve System.
In 2016, a study concluded that the amount of media coverage Sanders received was largely consistent with his polling performance.
In 2016, after a CNN debate, Bernie Sanders noted that Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump by 3 million votes in the popular vote. This comment was made in response to a question about whether he believed a woman could win the presidency.
In January 2018, Bernie Sanders voiced concern about Trump's failure to mention the finding that Russia had interfered in the 2016 election.
Sanders ranked as the most popular senator in 2016.
Starting with his 2016 presidential campaign, Bernie Sanders's announcements suggested that not only was he running as a Democrat, but that he would run as a Democrat in future elections.
In February 2017, Bernie Sanders launched "The Bernie Sanders Show", a webcasting program on Facebook live streaming, expanding his reach through digital media.
In March 2017, Fox News found Sanders to have the highest net favorability at +28 points of any prominent politician included in its poll.
As of April 2, 2017, "The Bernie Sanders Show" featured prominent guests such as William Barber, Josh Fox, Jane Mayer, and Bill Nye.
In April 2017, Sanders introduced a bill that would raise the minimum wage for federal contract workers to $15 an hour.
In April 2017, a nationwide Harvard-Harris Poll found that Sanders had the highest favorability rating among all the political figures included in the poll.
On May 4, 2017, in response to the House vote to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, Sanders predicted "thousands of Americans would die" from no longer having access to health care.
On May 30, 2017, Bernie Sanders received an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Brooklyn College.
On June 12, 2017, Bernie Sanders, along with Rand Paul, voted against legislation imposing new sanctions on Russia and Iran. He supported the sanctions on Russia but opposed the bill because he believed the sanctions could endanger the Iran nuclear deal.
In September 2017, Bernie Sanders laid out a foreign policy plan for greater international collaboration, adherence to US-led international agreements and promoting human rights and democratic ideals, in a speech given at Westminster College. He emphasized the consequences associated with global economic inequality and climate change and urged reining in the use of US military power.
In September 2017, Sanders, along with 15 Senate co-sponsors, submitted the Medicare for All bill, a single-payer healthcare plan covering vision and dental care, unlike Medicare.
In October 2017, Bernie Sanders said he would run for reelection as an independent in 2018 despite pressure to run as a Democrat.
After the November 2017 revelations from the Paradise Papers, Sanders stated that "we must end global oligarchy" and called for a fair, progressive, and transparent tax system.
In 2017, Bernie Sanders drew parallels between his campaign and that of the Labour Party in the 2017 UK general election.
In 2017, Bernie Sanders promised to defeat "Trump and Trumpism and the Republican right-wing ideology".
In March 11, 2021, Bernie Sanders supported Senate Democrats' decision to use budget reconciliation, a procedure used to avoid filibusters, to pass the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, despite having criticized Republicans' use of reconciliation to pass the 2017 tax cuts.
Since 2017, Sanders has been chair of the Senate Democratic Outreach Committee.
In January 2018, Bernie Sanders gave an online reply to Trump's State of the Union address, calling Trump "compulsively dishonest" and criticizing him for initiating "a looming immigration crisis" by ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
In February 2018, Robert Mueller's investigation found that Russians spread false information to help Sanders and Stein in the 2016 elections, a conclusion Sanders rejected. Sanders questioned the Clinton campaign's inaction on Russian interference.
In April 2018, an opinion article in The Week suggested that the Democratic Party was quietly admitting Sanders was right, noting the acceptance of his policies.
On May 9, 2018, Sanders introduced the Workplace Democracy Act, a bill that would expand labor rights by making it easier for workers to join a union, ban right-to-work laws, and outlaw some union-busting tactics.
On September 5, 2018, Sanders partnered with Ro Khanna to introduce the Stop Bad Employers by Zeroing Out Subsidies (Stop BEZOS) Act, which would require large corporations to pay for the food stamps and Medicaid benefits that their employees receive.
In October 2018, following the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi, Sanders' bill to end US support for the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen attracted bipartisan support after intelligence agencies determined Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammad bin Salman ordered the assassination.
In November 2018, the Sanders Institute and Yanis Varoufakis launched Progressive International, an organization uniting progressive activists to transform the global order.
Bernie Sanders was reelected in 2018 with 67% of the vote.
In 2018, Sanders opposed the 2018 United States federal budget proposed by the Trump administration, calling it "a budget for the billionaire class".
In October 2017, Bernie Sanders said he would run for reelection as an independent in 2018 despite pressure to run as a Democrat.
In February 2019, Sanders' bill to end US support for the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen, passed the House by a vote of 247-175.
On February 19, 2019, Bernie Sanders announced his candidacy for the Democratic Party's 2020 presidential nomination.
On March 5, 2019, Sanders signed a formal statement, known as a "loyalty pledge", affirming his membership in the Democratic Party and committing to serve as a Democrat if elected.
In March 2019, Bernie Sanders signed a formal "loyalty pledge" to the Democratic Party stating that he was a member of the party and would serve as a Democrat if elected president.
On April 6, 2019, Bernie Sanders participated in a Fox News town hall. It attracted over 2.55 million viewers. The appearance increased Fox News viewers by 24% overall and 40% in the 25-to-54-year-old demographic, surpassing the ratings of all other Democratic presidential candidate town halls that year.
On May 1, 2019, Sanders tweeted that America has lost over three million manufacturing jobs since the China trade deal. Sanders stated his opposition to the trade deal, and stated that China is one of America's major economic competitors.
As of June 2019, the Sanders campaign had raised the most money in the 2020 Democratic field, including funds from his 2018 Senate and 2016 presidential races.
On August 6, 2019, Bernie Sanders appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast. Joe Rogan later said he would "100% vote for him."
In August 2019, Bernie Sanders received the third-most mentions on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC, according to a RealClearPolitics analysis. He trailed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, with Biden receiving twice as many mentions. On ABC World News Tonight, Sanders was second, also trailing Biden. Online mentions showed a more balanced picture, with Sanders and Elizabeth Warren running "neck-and-neck" with Biden.
Between May and September 2019, Sanders polled between 15% and 20% on most national surveys, placing him second behind Joe Biden until Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris caught up.
In September 2019, the Sanders campaign became the fastest in US history to reach one million donors, demonstrating significant grassroots support.
On October 1, 2019, the Sanders campaign announced it had raised $25.3 million in the year's third quarter, with an average donation of $18, making it the largest quarterly sum raised by any Democratic candidate.
In December 2019, three months after his heart attack, Bernie Sanders released letters from three physicians, including the Attending Physician of Congress, stating that he was healthy and had recovered from his heart condition.
In 2019, Sanders announced his support for Green New Deal legislation and joined representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Earl Blumenauer in proposing legislation that would declare climate change a national and international emergency.
From mid-February 2020 to the start of March, Sanders polled in first place in the Democratic primary ahead of Joe Biden and was described by the press as the party's presidential front-runner.
On April 8, 2020, Bernie Sanders announced that he was suspending his campaign. He stated that he would remain on the ballot in the remaining states to influence the Democratic Party's platform.
During the 2020 primary season, a still from a fundraising video in which Sanders says "I am once again asking for your financial support" went viral, and a video of the Twitch streamer Neekolul wearing a Bernie 2020 shirt and lip-syncing the song "Oki Doki Boomer" also went viral.
In 2020, Bernie Sanders voted to convict Trump on both articles of his first impeachment trial, which involved pressuring a foreign leader to investigate Joe Biden.
In 2020, during his presidential run, Sanders proposed that 20% of stocks in corporations with over $100 million in annual revenue be owned by the corporation's workers. He also proposed that 45% of the board of directors of corporations with over $100 million in annual revenue be elected by the workers of that corporation.
In 2020, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) held six official DNC-sanctioned debates during the first four months of the year.
On January 6, 2021, after Trump supporters attacked the United States Capitol, Bernie Sanders commented that Trump would "go down in history as the worst and most dangerous president in history."
On February 23, 2021, Bernie Sanders became the first senator in the Democratic caucus to oppose one of Biden's cabinet picks, voting against Tom Vilsack's confirmation as Agriculture Secretary due to concerns about Vilsack's past work as a lobbyist and ties to large corporations.
On March 11, 2021, Bernie Sanders strongly supported Senate Democrats' decision to use budget reconciliation to pass the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, despite having criticized Republicans' use of reconciliation to pass the 2017 tax cuts.
In 2021, Bernie Sanders voted to convict Trump on the sole article of his second impeachment trial, which focused on inciting the Capitol attack.
In 2021, Sanders became the chair of the Senate Budget Committee.
In 2021, a frame from the inauguration of Joe Biden showing Sanders seated in a folding chair wearing patterned mittens and a jacket went viral, with the image captioned or edited into various images.
In August 2022, Bernie Sanders voted for the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. While not fully satisfied, he acknowledged it as a small step forward. The Act capped insulin costs for seniors on Medicare at $35 a month and allowed Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices.
Before the 2022 midterm election, Bernie Sanders said he regarded it as deciding the fate of democracy, abortion, and climate change, calling it "the most consequential midterm election" of modern US history.
In 2022, Bernie Sanders signed letters to Vilsack and Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, asking them to support the California farm animal welfare law Proposition 12 against a challenge to the law the National Pork Producers Council filed before the Supreme Court.
In 2022, Gerald Malloy, who ran against Senator Peter Welch, became the Republican nominee. In May 6, 2024, Bernie Sanders announced his candidacy for a fourth Senate term. Sanders faced Republican nominee Gerald Malloy.
In 2022, Sanders voted to confirm Joe Biden's nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court.
In 2022, ahead of the midterms, Bernie Sanders advocated for the Democratic Party to prioritize supporting unionization. He proposed a system where a simple majority vote (50% plus one) in a bargaining unit would automatically form a union.
In April 2023, Bernie Sanders endorsed Joe Biden in the 2024 United States presidential election.
On May 6, 2024, Bernie Sanders announced his candidacy for a fourth Senate term. A prior poll indicated that more than half of respondents wanted him to seek reelection. He has said that this term will likely be his last.
In November 2024, Sanders introduced a Joint Resolution of Disapproval to block arms to Israel which garnered support from 18 senators.
After Trump's reelection in 2024, Bernie Sanders released a statement blaming the Democratic Party's abandonment of "working-class people" for its defeat.
In 2024, after Biden withdrew from the race, Bernie Sanders endorsed Harris for president at the Democratic National Convention.
In March 2019, Bernie Sanders signed the pledge the day after he signed paperwork to run as an independent for reelection to the Senate in 2024.
In February 2025, Bernie Sanders began the "Fighting Oligarchy Tour", in which he and Ocasio-Cortez held rallies criticizing Trump's policies and economic inequality.
In a March 2025 interview, Sanders admitted that Biden failed to properly curb illegal immigration and commended Trump for strengthening border immigration policies, while also criticizing mass deportations and calling for comprehensive immigration reform.
In April 2025, Bernie Sanders criticized the administration, saying that it's moving “rapidly toward oligarchy”, he also called US a "pseudo-democracy".
In April 2025, Sanders introduced a Joint Resolution of Disapproval to block arms to Israel, which garnered support from 15 senators.
Also in June 2025, Bernie Sanders endorsed progressive politician and DSA member Zohran Mamdani for the 2025 New York City Democratic mayoral primary, calling him "best choice" for mayor.
In June 2025, Bernie Sanders reacted to news of Trump's bombing of Iranian nuclear sites by saying: "The American people are being lied to again today. We cannot allow history to repeat itself".
In July 2025, Sanders introduced a Joint Resolution of Disapproval to block arms to Israel, which garnered support from 27 senators, a majority of Senate Democrats.
On September 15, 2025, Bernie Sanders said that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, becoming the first US senator to make such comment.
In September 2025, Bernie Sanders criticized Democratic Party officials for their perceived refusal to support Mamdani after his victory in the New York City mayoral primary.
In September 2025, Bernie Sanders stated that "The intent is clear. The conclusion is inescapable: Israel is committing genocide in Gaza."
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