Bernie Sanders is mostly known for being an Independent politician, one of only two in the U.S. Senate. One of the main reasons he is in politics is because of the inequality he felt in America that he started seeing at a young age, saying, “I saw unfairness. That was the major inspiration in my politics.” His first winning election came in 1981 when he became the mayor of Burlington, Vermont. After serving a long run as mayor, he then announced a run for national office and a seat in the House of Representatives in 1990. He then became a Senator in 2006 after beating out Richard Tarrant.

In 2015 he announced his candidacy in the presidential elec- tion. Sanders, despite being independent, ran in the Democratic Party’s primary. He described the reason for his change by saying, “It made a lot more sense for me to work within the Democratic primary system where it’s much easier to get on the ballot and have a chance to debate the other candidates.” Sanders is now a dark horse once again as he goes up against favorite Hillary Clinton.

Sanders favors equality for all people in the United States, with a special emphasis on equality among categories of race, gender, and sexual orientation. He wants college tuition to be free so all students have a chance to succeed, without being weighed down by debt. Sanders plans to expand Social Security so everyone “can retire with dignity and respect.” He seeks stronger regulation of Wall Street, and believes that healthcare is a right that belongs to all Americans regardless of wealth.