Sen. Bernie Sanders, a longtime leader in progressive politics, suggested his next Senate term might be his last. Speaking to POLITICO, Sanders acknowledged his age would play a role in his decision.
“I’m 83 now. I’ll be 89 when I get out of here,” Sanders said. “You can do the figuring. I don’t know, but I would assume, probably, yes.”
Sanders has been in Congress since 1991, serving eight terms in the House before moving to the Senate in 2006. Despite his independence from party affiliation, he became a major figure in Democratic presidential primaries in 2016 and 2020, finishing second both times.
Over the years, Sanders has pushed the Democratic caucus toward progressive ideals. But he remains concerned about the future of those values in American politics.
Following Donald Trump’s election victory last month, Sanders criticized Democrats for losing touch with working-class Americans.
“The average American is hurting,” Sanders said. “You’ve got to recognize the reality of what’s going on. And I’m not sure that enough Democrats are doing that.”
Reflecting on his tenure, he highlighted his work on expanding primary care funding and challenging pharmaceutical companies over high drug prices.
“We are the only major country on earth that doesn’t guarantee health care to all of its people,” Sanders said. “And we pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs. My vision is pretty clear as to where we have to go.”