Sen. Bernie Sanders, 82, announces he will run for reelection

Washington — Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, said on Monday that he’ll seek reelection in November. 

The 82-year-old announced in a social media video that he will seek a fourth term in the Senate, saying serving in the upper chamber of Congress has been the “honor of my life,” while outlining a number of progressive priorities that remain. 

“Today I am announcing my intention to seek another term,” Sanders said, adding that he’s in a position to “provide the kind of help that Vermonters need in these difficult times”

Sanders said the coming election is “the most important national election in our lifetimes,” urging that “we must fight to make sure that we remain a democracy.” While pointing to his progressive accomplishments during his time in the Senate, Sanders listed a number remaining priorities — from universal healthcare to lowering prescription drug prices to cutting carbon emissions and protecting access to reproductive healthcare for women. 

“The stakes are enormous,” he said. “This is an election we must not lose.”