Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders made it official on Tuesday, announcing that he’ll throw his hat in the ring for the 2020 presidential election.
In a slick campaign video touting his leadership in a number of issues that have become hotly debated in the Democratic party over the past few years, including Medicare for all, criminal justice reform, and free college tuition, Sanders urged supporters to “join the fight” he began as a dark horse candidate in the 2016 race.
Sanders coupled his not-entirely-surprising announcement with an interview with CBS’ This Morning, where he said that, unlike his previous campaign in which he lost a contentious battle with eventual Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton, this time, “We’re gonna win.”
Sanders enters an already crowded Democratic field which includes Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, and California Sen. Kamala Harris. If elected, Sanders would easily become the oldest person to assume the presidency at 79.
Multiple polls show Sanders running anywhere from seven to 13 points behind former Vice President Joe Biden, who has yet to declare if he will enter the 2020 race. However, a Morning Consult poll taken from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31 showed the Vermont Independent had retained his position as America’s most popular Senator for the 11th quarter in a row.
Update, 9:07 a.m. ET: President Donald Trump’s campaign has weighed in: