Learn More about Bernie Sanders

As election season continues to grow more and more a media focal point, let’s take a deeper look at one of the candidates who has spent the summer months overcoming expectations and gaining unexpected traction–Democratic Party hopeful Senator Bernie Sanders. The current senator from Vermont is technically registered as Independent and has a long, complicated, love-hate relationship with the Democratic Party. What began as an opportunity to engage the country in a dialogue has attracted a loyal and vocal following of supporters.

Always an Outsider

Bernie Sanders of Brooklyn, New York, began his political career in the 1970s as a “protest candidate,” with the anti-Vietnam War Liberty Party. He ran for governor of Vermont twice, citing a frustration with both parties whom he believed were both ineffectual and corrupt. In 1981, Sanders unseated the Democratic incumbent to become the mayor of Burlington, Vermont. Following that success, he was reelected three times.

Sanders ran for a seat in the House of Representatives in 1988 but he was defeated. However, he managed to gain 38 percent of the vote, an impressive feat for an Independent candidate. Two years later Sanders ran again and this time, he won. Sanders was a member of the House of Representatives from 1991 through 2007. In 2006 he was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he currently serves on many committees.

Strong Positions

Despite his Independent status in Congress and his current run for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, Sanders has described himself a Socialist. This means that he believes that the government should do more to meet the needs of its citizens. One of Sanders’ biggest causes is determining how the government can best address economic inequality amongst all of its citizens. He believes that the biggest financial institutions wield too much control over the economy. Sanders also says that corporations should pay more in taxes. Sanders also supports the idea that the government should approve a considerable raise to the minimum wage, so that more workers have the income they need to live a secure daily life. On immigration, Sanders supported President Obama’s action that kept millions of undocumented workers from being deported. However, Sanders does believe that the “guest-worker” program should be reformed as it is causing youth unemployment. 

#FeeltheBern

Sanders officially launched his presidential campaign in May. One of the first big news stories to come out of his camp was the candidate’s refusal to raise funds through a Super Political Action Committee (PAC). Not wanting to become subject to the growing influence of mega-donors, he prefers to rely on individual donations.

Despite his age (73), Sanders has attracted the support of a large number of young people. His social media presence is particularly strong. In July, the Sanders campaign organized a livestream message that attracted 100,000 supporters gathered together in 3,500 locations across the country. The number of people attending his rallies and events has grown significantly since his announcement, now doubling the number of his fellow Democratic Party challenger, Hillary Clinton.