(RepublicanDaily.org) – While age may be a major concern many have over President Joe Biden’s re-election bid, another octogenarian in the left is not letting his age stand in the way of his own bid to get reelected.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said that he will be seeking to keep his seat in the Senate, which would put him in his late 80’s if he gets reelected and sees the end of his term. Sanders, is an Independent, although his progressive platforms sees him caucus with the Democrats.
At 82, Sanders is the oldest serving member of the U.S. Senate, the oldest being Republican Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, who is 90 years old. To date, there is no indication that Grassley intends to retire – although in 2022, it was reported that the Iowa Senator has already filed paperwork for a reelection bid in 2028. Another octogenarian in the Upper House, Republican Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, announced earlier in the year that he would be stepping down as Republican leader of the Senate in November and would just be serving out his term until its end in 2027. Like Sanders, McConnell is 82.
If he wins, it will be Sanders’ fourth six-year term in the Senate. The Vermont senator currently chairs the Upper House’s top healthcare committee, and is a senior member of the senate committees on veterans’ affairs and budget. And despite being an Independent, he is part of the Democrats’ leadership team in the Senate.
Sanders made his announcement for re-election on social media, telling voters in a video that he is still in a “strong position” to provide critical representation for Vermont “in these difficult times.” In recent years, Sanders has pushed for issues such as the expansion of Medicare and the weakening of the filibuster, but has so far been unsuccessful. Sanders has also expressed differences with Democrats in a number of occasions, such as when he criticized the administration of President Joe Biden for its continued support of Israel.
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