Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont will run for the presidency in 2016 as a Democrat. The senator, who currently serves as an Independent, provides Hillary Clinton with her first competition for the Democratic nomination.
Sanders made his official announcement today in interviews with the Associated Press and USA Today. The 73-year-old also showed his willingness to embrace new media by also streaming his announcement on Periscope.
He describes himself as a “democratic socialist” and hopes to offer liberals an alternative to Clinton.
“People should not underestimate me,” Sanders told the AP. “I've run outside of the two-party system, defeating Democrats and Republicans, taking on big-money candidates and, you know, I think the message that has resonated in Vermont is a message that can resonate all over this country.”
Sanders has made a career out of taking direct shots at the economy, questioning how the top 1 percent can own as much as the bottom 90 percent. “That type of economics is not only immoral, it’s not only wrong, it’s unsustainable,” he said in his announcement.
It will be hard for Sanders to match Clinton’s wealthy campaign, but he believes that small contributions will help him in the long run.
“I will absolutely be outspent. But I do believe we have a chance to raise significant amounts of money through small, individual contributions,” he told USA Today.
Clinton, the former Secretary of State, announced on April 12 that she is running for president in 2016. Several Republicans have also thrown their hat into the race, including Senators Ted Cruz and Rand Paul.
screenshot from Bernie Sanders YouTube video
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