Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said Tuesday he’s running for the Democratic presidential nomination, his second straight White House bid.
The longtime independent lawmaker, who caucuses with Democrats in the Senate and previously did the same in the House, told Vermont Public Radio defeating President Trump is his highest priority.
“I think the current occupant of the White House is an embarrassment to our country. I think he is a pathological liar,” Sanders said. “I also think he is a racist, a sexist, a homophobe, a xenophobe, somebody who is gaining cheap political points by trying to pick on minorities, often undocumented immigrants.”
Sanders, 77, added he’ll push for progressive ideas he’s long advocated, including universal healthcare coverage, a $15 minimum wage, and reducing student debt.
The announcement by Sanders drew immediate fire from the Republican National Committee.
“Bernie Sanders is a self-avowed socialist who wants to double your taxes so the government can take over your health care,” said RNC Spokesman Michael Ahrens. “The vast majority of voters oppose his radical agenda, just like they are going to oppose all the 2020 Democrats who have rushed to embrace it.”
Sanders, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, in 2016 proved a surprisingly durable alternative in the Democratic primaries to eventual nominee Hillary Clinton. He won the Michigan primary and caucuses in several small-population states, presaging Clinton’s woes in the fall attracting support for working-class and rural voters.
In the 2020 campaign, though, Sanders faces a considerably more crowded field. Several high-profile Democrats have already declared their candidacies, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kamala Harris of California, and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. Former Vice President Joe Biden is also eyeing the race but has yet to declare.
