Već prije nego što je postao senatorom, Sanders je izazvao senzaciju tako što je godine 1990. kao nezavisni kandidat izabran u Predstavnički dom SAD kao zastupnik Vermonta, postavši tako prvi nezavisni kongresnik od 1950. godine. Sanders je na tom mjestu ostao punih 16 godina. Prije toga je Sanders služio kao gradonačelnik grada Burlington od 1981. do 1989.
Iako je tokom karijere žestoko kritizirao Demokratsku stranku, odnose s njome je poboljšao kada je 2000-ih njome počela dominirati ljevica. Kada je 2007. godine stupio u Senat, priključio se senatskom klubu demokrata, slično kao i njegov kolega Joe Lieberman, koji je iste godine izabran kao nezavisni kandidat.
30. aprila 2015. godine Sanders je objavio kandidaturu za predsjedničku nominaciju Demokratske stranke.
18. septembra 2015. godine objavljeno je pismo u kojem ga podržava 128 umjetnika i kulturnih radnika. Njegovi skupovi su najposjećeniji od svih predsjedničkih kandidata (28.000 ljudi u Portlandu, Oregon).In his announcement, Sanders said, "I don't believe that the men and women who defended American democracy fought to create a situation where billionaires own the political process."
Političke pozicije:
Prema anketama za demokratske kandidate, drugi je kandidat, odmah iza Hillary Clinton:Sanders is a self-described democratic socialist and progressive who admires the Nordic model of social democracy and is a proponent of workplace democracy.[3][9][123][124] Many commentators have noted the consistency of his views throughout his political career.[125][126] He focuses on economic issues such as income and wealth inequality,[4][127] raising the minimum wage,[128] universal healthcare,[129] reducing the burden of student debt,[130] making public colleges and universities tuition-free by taxing financial transactions,[131] and expanding Social Security benefits by eliminating the cap on the payroll tax on all income above $250,000.[132][133] Sanders has become a prominent supporter of laws requiring companies to provide their workers paternity leave, sick leave, and vacation time, noting that such laws have been adopted by almost every developed country.[134] He also supports legislation that would make it easier for workers to join or form a union.[135][136] Sanders advocates bold action to reverse global warming and infrastructure investment, with "energy efficiency and sustainability" as a prominent goal.[137][138] He is opposed to the Trans-Pacific Partnership.[139]
Sanders has advocated for more democratic participation by citizens, campaign finance reform and the overturn of Citizens United v. FEC.[140][141] He has denounced institutional racism, called for criminal justice reform to reduce the number of people in prison and advocates a crackdown on police brutality and abolishing private, for-profit prisons.[142][143][144] He is an advocate of comprehensive financial reforms and favors breaking up "too big to fail" financial institutions and restoring Glass–Steagall Legislation.[145][146] Sanders was a strong opponent of the U.S. invasion of Iraq and has been critical of a number of policies instituted during the War on Terror, particularly mass surveillance and the USA PATRIOT Act.[147][148] He takes a liberal approach to social issues, advocating for LGBT rights and lobbying against the Defense of Marriage Act, and maintains a pro-choice stance on abortion, opposing the defunding of Planned Parenthood.[149][150]
NBC SurveyMonkey: Clinton 45% Sanders 31% (15.10.2015.) - najveći broj ispitanika u ovoj godini.
Gravis Marketing/One America News: Clinton 42% Sanders 34% (14.10.2015.)
Najbolji rezultat u anketama do sada:
Google Consumer Surveys/IJ: Clinton 37,6% Sanders 38,4% (1.10.2015.) - ovo je također anketa sa drugim najvećim brojem ispitanika još od juna 2015., a sveukupno, sa 6. najvećim brojem ispitanika.
Kao komparaciju, dajem ankete iz oktobra 2007. godine, pred predsjedničke izbore 2008. godine:
CBC News 26.10.2007. Clinton 45% Obama 16%
Reuters 27.10.2007. Clinton 38% Obama 24%
Newsweek 01.11.2007. Clinton 43% Obama 24%
Obama je na ovim izborima prvi puta vodio u anketama od februara 2008. godine, a od marta 2008. se ustalio na prvom mjestu, odakle ga Clinton više nije skidala. Dalje je historija.

