Bernie Sanders

Who Is Bernie Sanders?

Bernie Sanders, born in 1941, is a prominent American politician who has significantly shaped both local and national political landscapes. Sanders began his political career as the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, where he served four terms from 1981 to 1989. His tenure as mayor allowed him to distinguish himself as a progressive leader. He then transitioned to the national stage, securing a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served as one of the few independent legislators in the country. Sanders was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006, a position he has held since, with successful reelection bids in 2012 and beyond.

In 2015, Sanders launched a bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, igniting a massive progressive movement. Although he ultimately lost the nomination to Hillary Clinton, his campaign brought significant attention to issues such as economic inequality and healthcare reform. He ran for president again in 2019 but once again fell short in securing the Democratic nomination.

Early Life and Education

Born on September 8, 1941, in Brooklyn, New York, Bernie Sanders was the youngest of two sons born to Jewish immigrants from Poland. Raised in a working-class family, his father worked as a paint salesman, and the family struggled financially, which shaped Sanders’ awareness of economic inequality. He has frequently cited the disparities he witnessed in his youth as the driving force behind his political activism. In an interview with The Guardian, Sanders reflected, “I saw unfairness. That was the major inspiration in my politics.”

Sanders attended James Madison High School in Brooklyn and then pursued higher education at Brooklyn College before transferring to the University of Chicago. It was during his time at university that Sanders became deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement. As a member of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), he participated in a sit-in to protest the segregation of off-campus housing in 1962. He also served as an organizer for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and participated in the March on Washington in 1963. For Sanders, this activism was driven by a profound sense of justice. As he explained to the Burlington Free Press, “It was a question for me of just basic justice.”

After earning a degree in political science in 1964, Sanders spent time living on a kibbutz in Israel before settling in Vermont. During this period, he worked various jobs, including as a filmmaker, freelance writer, psychiatric aide, and teacher for low-income children through the Head Start program. His experiences in these roles further deepened his political engagement and commitment to social justice.

During the Vietnam War, Sanders applied for conscientious objector status. Although his application was ultimately rejected, by the time it was processed, he was too old to be drafted.

Burlington Mayor and Congressman

In the 1970s, Bernie Sanders made several unsuccessful bids for public office as a member of the anti-war Liberty Union Party before departing the group in 1979. His first significant political victory came in 1981 when he was elected mayor of Burlington, Vermont, by a narrow margin of just 12 votes. Sanders’ win was facilitated by the support of the Progressive Coalition, a grassroots organization. He was reelected three more times, proving his enduring popularity and establishing his credibility as a self-described “democratic socialist.”

With his unkempt appearance and unconventional style, Sanders was an unlikely contender for national office. However, in 1990, he defied expectations by winning a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives as an independent. This victory presented a challenge, as Sanders had to navigate a divided political landscape and find legislative allies. In an interview with The Progressive, Sanders explained that collaborating with Republicans was “unthinkable” to him, but he did caucus with the Democrats, despite significant opposition from conservative members of the party.

Throughout his time in Congress, Sanders remained a vocal critic of both major political parties, particularly when he felt they were prioritizing corporate interests over those of working families. A staunch opponent of the Iraq War, he expressed concerns about its social and financial consequences. In a House speech, Sanders declared, “As a caring nation, we should do everything we can to prevent the horrible suffering that a war will cause.” He also questioned the timing of military intervention, given the country’s growing national debt and deficit.

Senator Sanders

In 2006, Sanders transitioned to the U.S. Senate, running against Republican businessman Richard Tarrant. Despite being outspent by Tarrant, who invested $7 million of his own money into the campaign, Sanders emerged victorious. Four years later, Sanders garnered national attention with his eight-hour filibuster against the extension of Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy. Sanders argued that the tax deal was a “very bad tax agreement” and called for a better proposal that would prioritize the needs of the middle class and working families. His speech, later published in The Speech: A Historic Filibuster on Corporate Greed and the Decline of Our Middle Class, became a symbol of his commitment to economic justice.

During his tenure in the Senate, Sanders has served on several influential committees, including the Committee on the Budget, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, the Committee on Veterans Affairs, and the Joint Economic Committee. He has been a tireless advocate for campaign finance reform, championing efforts to overturn the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. Sanders has also worked extensively to expand voting rights, opposing efforts to dismantle critical provisions of the Voting Rights Act.

A strong proponent of universal, single-payer healthcare, Sanders has dedicated much of his legislative career to advancing policies aimed at protecting the environment and addressing climate change. As a member of both the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works and the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, he continues to advocate for the transition to renewable energy sources and policies that safeguard the planet’s future.

Presidential Ambitions

In April 2015, Bernie Sanders announced his candidacy for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. Though he had long been an independent, Sanders switched to the Democratic Party primarily out of political necessity. As he explained to USA Today, “It would require an enormous amount of time, energy, and money just to get on the ballot in 50 states” as an independent. Running within the Democratic primary system, he argued, was a more practical path, offering easier access to ballots and a chance to debate other candidates.

Many political experts were skeptical about Sanders’ chances of securing the Democratic nomination, given the dominance of frontrunner Hillary Clinton. However, Sanders remained undeterred by his status as an underdog. “People should not underestimate me,” he stated, emphasizing his ability to challenge both Democratic and Republican candidates and his record of taking on big-money interests.

Sanders’ platform was built around addressing inequality in the United States. Economically, he advocated for tax reform that would increase rates for the wealthy, stronger government oversight of Wall Street, and efforts to address wage disparity between men and women. Additionally, he supported a state-administered health care system, affordable higher education—including tuition-free public colleges and universities—and the expansion of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. As a social liberal, Sanders also championed same-sex marriage and pro-choice policies.

Trademarks of His Campaign

A defining feature of Sanders’ campaign was his call for a “political revolution,” urging ordinary citizens to become active participants in the political process and to advocate for change on critical issues.

Another key component of his campaign was his staunch opposition to corporate money in politics. Sanders aimed to overturn the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling, which permits unlimited political donations from corporations and wealthy individuals. He argued that such contributions distort democracy by promoting policies that benefit the elite at the expense of the broader public. “As a result of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision,” Sanders asserted, “American democracy is being undermined by the ability of the Koch brothers and other billionaire families. These wealthy contributors can literally buy politicians and elections.” Sanders called for the reversal of Citizens United and the implementation of public funding for elections to ensure that all candidates, not just the wealthy, could compete fairly for office.

Record-Breaking Online Grassroots Fundraising

True to his commitment to grassroots support, Sanders ran his campaign without relying on Super PACs or corporate donations. Instead, his fundraising model focused on small individual contributions, and it defied expectations. In December 2015, Time magazine reported that Sanders had broken the fundraising record for most contributions at this point in a presidential race, surpassing the previous record set by President Obama during his 2011 reelection bid.

By February 2016, Sanders had received 3.7 million donations from approximately 1.3 million individual contributors, averaging $27 per donation. By March 2016, his campaign had raised over $96 million in total contributions, a testament to the widespread grassroots support for his campaign.

Historic Michigan Primary Victory

One of the most remarkable moments of Sanders’ campaign came in March 2016, when he achieved a stunning victory in the Michigan primary. Despite polling data showing him trailing Hillary Clinton by at least 20 percentage points in the days leading up to the vote, Sanders won Michigan by a narrow margin of 50 to 48 percent. This upset was widely regarded as one of the greatest polling errors in modern political history, drawing comparisons to the 1984 Democratic primary when Walter Mondale’s lead over Gary Hart was similarly overestimated.

Sanders’ victory in Michigan was significant not only as an electoral success but also as a clear indication that his populist, liberal message had widespread appeal, even in diverse and traditionally competitive states like Michigan. It dealt a psychological blow to Clinton’s campaign, which had hoped for a smoother path to securing the Democratic nomination.

Democratic Primary Abroad Win and AIPAC Absence

In March 2016, Bernie Sanders won the Democrats Abroad international primary with an impressive 69% of the vote. Over 34,000 American citizens participated from 38 countries, with 13 delegates at stake. This victory demonstrated Sanders’ significant appeal among the global diaspora of U.S. citizens.

Sanders also made headlines for being the first presidential candidate—and the only Jewish one in the 2016 race—to abstain from attending the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference, a major pro-Israel lobbying event. While Sanders cited his busy campaign schedule as the reason for his absence, some viewed it as a controversial political statement. Pro-Palestinian groups, in particular, saw his decision as a bold stance against the Israeli government’s policies. Although absent from the event, Sanders addressed the AIPAC conference remotely, delivering a speech that emphasized the need for mutual respect and advocated for direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine.

Visit to the Vatican

In April 2016, Sanders made history as the only presidential candidate ever invited to the Vatican to speak on moral, environmental, and economic issues. Amid the high-stakes New York primary, Sanders traveled to Rome for a social sciences conference where he had the opportunity to briefly meet Pope Francis. The two were often compared for their shared focus on social justice, the environment, and economic inequality. While the meeting was purely ceremonial and aimed at avoiding politicization, it marked a significant moment in Sanders’ campaign.

The DNC Platform and Endorsing Clinton

As the Democratic primaries drew to a close and Sanders acknowledged the challenging odds of securing the nomination, he used his political influence to shape the Democratic National Committee (DNC) platform. Key issues from his campaign, including universal healthcare, free college tuition, a $15 minimum wage, and financial reforms, were incorporated into the platform. However, his opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was notably excluded.

Despite these setbacks, Sanders’ impact on the DNC platform was heralded as a triumph for progressive causes and was lauded as the most progressive platform in the party’s history. On July 12, 2016, Sanders endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, signaling a united front against the Republican candidate, Donald Trump, despite the ideological rifts that persisted between the two campaigns.

DNC Email Leak

In July 2016, just before the Democratic National Convention, WikiLeaks published over 19,000 emails from DNC officials that revealed favoritism towards Clinton and attempts to undermine Sanders’ campaign. The emails detailed strategies to question Sanders’ faith to weaken him among Southern voters, as well as instances of coordination between the DNC and media outlets. This scandal led to the resignation of DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz. U.S. intelligence agencies later investigated the role of Russian interference in the election, with some reports suggesting that Russia had actively sought to boost Sanders’ candidacy.

Despite the leak, Sanders urged his supporters to rally behind Clinton in the general election, emphasizing the necessity of defeating Trump. However, many of his progressive supporters criticized him for endorsing Clinton after the revelations of DNC bias.

2020 Presidential Campaign

Following Donald Trump’s unexpected victory in the 2016 presidential election, Sanders remained vocal in his opposition to the new administration. In 2017, rumors began circulating that Sanders was positioning himself for a 2020 presidential run. This speculation was fueled by his increasing engagement with Democratic Party leadership and his developing foreign policy speeches.

In December 2017, Sanders called for President Trump to resign following allegations of sexual misconduct and the release of the Access Hollywood tape. He also criticized Trump for his actions surrounding the Russian interference in the 2016 election.

In 2018, Sanders released Where We Go From Here: Two Years in the Resistance, a book that previewed his 2020 campaign platform. By February 2019, Sanders officially entered the race, joining a crowded field that included prominent Democratic figures such as Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, and Kirsten Gillibrand.

Sanders gained momentum early, drawing substantial support from progressives, particularly following endorsements from key figures like Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and members of the “Squad” — Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib. Sanders initially surged in the primaries, emerging as a frontrunner after a victory in New Hampshire. However, former Vice President Joe Biden soon gained a commanding lead, and Sanders ultimately suspended his campaign on April 8, 2020, endorsing Biden for the Democratic nomination.

Personal Life and Family

Bernie Sanders’ personal life has been marked by both relationships and his commitment to public service. In 1964, he married Deborah Shiling, but the couple divorced two years later. Sanders met his second partner, Susan Mott, in 1968, with whom he had a son, Levi, in 1969.

In 1981, Sanders met Jane O’Meara, a long-time educator who would later become the president of Burlington College. They married in 1988, and O’Meara has three children from a previous marriage.

Sanders’ older brother, Larry, is a British academic and politician who serves as the Health Spokesperson for the Green Party of England and Wales.