Washington DC - Independent Senator Bernie Sanders has announced that he is seeking re-election this year, for a fourth term in the Senate.

Voters are about to feel the Bern once again!

The 82-year-old progressive politician shared his plans on Monday in a video on social media, where he thanked Vermont voters for supporting him for so many years. He described his time in office serving them as the "honor of my life."

He went on to explain that his decision was heavily inspired by the 2024 presidential elections, which he has described as "the most consequential election in our lifetimes."

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"We must fight to make sure that we remain a democracy, not an authoritarian society," he explained in the clip.

"The stakes are enormous," he later added. "This is an election we must not lose."

Sanders has held his Senate seat since 2017, and along with his 16 years as a representative from 1991-2007, he is the longest serving Independent member of Congress in US history.

He also ran two highly successful Democratic presidential campaigns in 2016 and in 2020. While he did not win in either primaries, his explosive popularity with leftists, particularly young people, helped further launch the progressive movement.

He has endorsed President Joe Biden's re-election efforts, but has been very vocal about his disagreements with how the US is handling relations with Israel, as the country continues its bombing campaign in Gaza, which he has described as an "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians.

With his high approval ratings among Vermont voters, he is expected to win his seat again in November.