Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) suggested that his current term is “probably” his last.
When asked by Politico if his fourth term will be his last, Sanders said, “I’m 83 now. I’ll be 89 when I get out of here. You can do the figuring. I don’t know, but I would assume, probably, yes.”
Sanders told the outlet that the Democratic Party has abandoned Americans. “The average American is hurting,” he said. “You’ve got to recognize the reality of what’s going on. And I’m not sure that enough Democrats are doing that.”
If Democrats retake control of the Senate in 2026, Sanders said he hopes to return to the chair of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. “We are the only major country on earth that doesn’t guarantee health care to all of its people,” he told Politico. “And we pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs. My vision is pretty clear as to where we have to go.”
Sanders ran for president in both 2016 and 2020.
During his latest senatorial campaign, Sanders argued for codifying “Roe v. Wade into national law,” “making sure all public colleges and universities are tuition-free,” and stood against funding for Israel in its war with Hamas.
Sanders is the second-oldest U.S. Senator. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), 91, is the oldest.
According to GovTrack, Sanders is the most liberal member of the Senate.
The progressive senator recently led an effort to block a $20 billion arms deal with Israel. The series of resolutions sought to halt the sale of offensive weapons, including tanks, munitions, and F-15 fighter jets.
