Bernie Sanders Files to Run for Reelection at 89 Years Old

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has filed to run for reelection in 2030, when he would be 89 years old.

On Monday, Sanders, who has been vocal against what he sees as an oligarchy looming over the U.S. government, expressed his desire to fight back against the Trump administration and has opened the door to running for the Senate again at the end of this decade.

Newsweek contacted Sanders for comment via email outside working hours.

Why It Matters

The age of the federal government has increasingly been in the spotlight in recent years. On Monday, Donald Trump, whose 79th birthday is in June, became the oldest U.S. president to be sworn into office, and the average age of the 118th Senate was 64 years old.

Though an independent, Sanders caucuses with the Democrats, who have recently come under fire for the age of their candidates—with Joe Biden, who left office at the age of 82, ending his 2024 presidential campaign over concerns about his age and ability.

What To Know

On January 20, Sanders filed his 2030 candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. While the filing does not guarantee that the senator will run for reelection, it allows him to start a campaign and begin fundraising.

Sanders, who was born in New York in 1941, has been in Vermont politics since 1980, when he ran for mayor of Burlington. In November, Sanders won his fourth Senate term, which is set to last for six years.

Sanders' 2024 win had the lowest margin of his four Senate election victories, as he beat his Republican challenger with 63.2 percent of the vote—a 4 percent drop from his 2018 race.

When asked why he was running for office in 2024, Sanders said the election was the "most consequential election in our lifetimes." He stressed his fears about impeding authoritarianism and oligarchy, and he said he felt the need to be in a strong position to help Vermonters during these "difficult times."

Sanders has been a vocal force in the ongoing confirmation hearings for Trump's Cabinet. He asked Scott Bessent, Trump's pick for treasury secretary, whether he would work on raising the minimum wage from $7.25. Bessent said he would not.

Professor Thomas Gift, at the University College London school of Public Policy, told Newsweek about the pros and cons of having older leaders in government.

He said: "With age, comes experience. At the same time, with age, comes detachment. More time in Washington means that lawmakers acquire greater seniority; understand and appreciate the mechanisms of power in the nation's capital; and have historical touchstones that allow them to put current events into a wider perspective.

"Yet the downsides are that older and longer-serving members of Congress don't reflect the mores and priorities of younger generations. There's also a risk that incumbents become creatures of Washington, losing sight of the needs of constituents back in their home states."

Gift also noted that, in 1776, James Madison was 25, Thomas Jefferson was 33, John Adams was 40, and George Washington was 44. All of these men were far below the average age of a U.S. Senator today.

What People Are Saying

Sanders wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday: "When I started talking about Oligarchy, many people didn't understand what I meant. Well, that's changed. When the 3 wealthiest men in America sit behind Trump at his inauguration, everyone understands that the billionaire class now controls our government. We must fight back."

Professor Thomas Gift told Newsweek: "If America thinks that diversity is good, that should include not just representation in terms of race, gender, religion, and other social markers, but also diversity of age."

What Happens Next

At 83 years old, Sanders is already more than a decade older than the at-birth life expectancy of someone born in 1941. It remains to be seen whether he will launch a 2030 reelection campaign.

Update, 1/21/25, 8:32 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include comment from Professor Thomas Gift.