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Bernie Sanders
| Bernie Sanders | ||
 | ||
| U.S. Senate, Vermont | ||
| Incumbent | ||
| In office | ||
| 2006-Present | ||
| Term ends | ||
| January 3, 2019 | ||
| Years in position | 6 | |
| Party | Independent | |
| Predecessor | James M. Jeffords (R) | |
| Compensation | ||
| Base salary | $174,000/year | |
| Elections and appointments | ||
| Last election | November 6, 2012 | |
| Next election | November 2018 | |
| Term limits | N/A | |
| Prior offices | ||
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| 1991-2007 | ||
| Education | ||
| High school | James Madison High School, Brooklyn NY | |
| Bachelor's | University of Chicago | |
| Personal | ||
| Birthday | September 8, 1941 | |
| Place of birth | Brooklyn, NY | |
| Net worth | $308,005 | |
| Websites | ||
| Office website | ||
| Campaign website | ||
Contents |
Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Sanders is a "left-leaning Independent".[3]
Sanders won re-election in 2012.[4] Primary elections were held on August 28, 2012.
Biography
Sanders was born in 1941 in Brooklyn, NY, where he also attended high school. He earned his B.S. from the University of Chicago in 1964 and went on to serve on to lecture at Harvard University and Hamilton College in New York. Sanders has also worked as a carpenter and journalist.[5]
In January 2012, Sanders was named a "Top-20 US Progressive" according to The New Statesman, a magazine based in the United Kingdom. Other members of the list include Paul Krugman, Michael Moore, Noam Chomsky and Rachel Maddow.[6]
Career
Committee assignments
U.S. Senate
2013-2014
Sanders serves on the following Senate committees[8]:
- Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman
- Budget Committee
- Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Subcommittee on Water and Power
- Subcommittee on National Parks
- Subcommittee on Energy
- Environment and Public Works Committee
- Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure
- Subcommittee on Green Jobs and the New Economy
- Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety
- Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging Chair
- Subcommittee on Children and Families
- Joint Economic Committee
2011-2012
Sanders served on the following Senate committees[7]:
- Environment and Public Works Committee
- Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Budget Committee
- Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Joint Economic Committee
Issues
Political positions
Sanders is a self-described democratic socialist.[9][10]
Fiscal Cliff
Sanders voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. The bill was passed in the Senate by a 89/8 vote on January 1, 2013.[11]
Elections
2012
Sanders ran for re-election in the 2012 election for the U.S. Senate, representing Vermont. Sanders ran unopposed in the August 28, 2012 Democratic primary. He is also running as an Independent. He faces John MacGovern (R), Cris Ericson (United States Marijuana Party), Laurel LaFramboise (VoteKISS), Pete Diamondstone (Liberty Union), and Peter Moss (Peace and Prosperity) in the general election on November 6, 2012. [12][13]
| U.S. Senate, Vermont, General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Independent |  Bernie Sanders Incumbent |
71.1% | 207,848 | |
| Republican | John MacGovern | 24.9% | 72,898 | |
| Third | Cris Ericson | 2% | 5,924 | |
| Third | Laurel LaFramboise | 0.3% | 877 | |
| Third | Peter Moss | 0.8% | 2,452 | |
| Third | Pete Diamondstone | 0.9% | 2,511 | |
| Total Votes | 292,510 | |||
| Source: Vermont Board of Elections "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
2006
On November 7, 2006, Sanders won election to the U.S. Senate, defeating Rich Tarrant (R), Cris Ericson (I), Craig Hill (Vermont Green), Pete Diamondstone (Liberty Union), Peter Moss (Anti-Bushist Candidate), and a write-in.[14]
| U.S. Senate, Vermont, 2006 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Independent | Bernard Sanders |
65.4% | 171,638 | |
| Republican | Rich Tarrant | 32.4% | 84,924 | |
| Independent | Cris Ericson | 0.7% | 1,735 | |
| Vermont Green | Craig Hill | 0.6% | 1,536 | |
| Liberty Union | Pete Diamondstone | 0.3% | 801 | |
| Anti-Bushist | Peter Moss | 0.6% | 1,518 | |
| Write-in | Write-in | 0.1% | 267 | |
| Total Votes | 262,419 | |||
Campaign donors
Comprehensive donor information for Sanders is available dating back to 2012. Based on available campaign finance records, Sanders raised a total of $14,933,605 during that time period. This information was last updated on April 25, 2013.[15]
| Bernie Sanders's Campaign Contribution History | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Office | Result | Contributions | |
| 2012 | U.S. Senate (Vermont) |  |
$7,229,492 | |
| 2006 | U.S. Senate (Vermont) | |
$5,554,466 | |
| 2004 | US House (Vermont, At-large District) | |
$836,307 | |
| 2002 | US House (Vermont, At-large District) | |
$657,070 | |
| 2000 | US House (Vermont, At-large District) | |
$656,270 | |
| Grand Total Raised | $14,933,605 | |||
2012
Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2012 elections season. Below are Sanders's reports.[16]
| Bernie Sanders Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| April Quarterly[17] | April 10, 2012 | $2,938,691.31 | $950,336.11 | $(281,427.23) | $3,607,600.19 | ||||
| July Quarterly[18] | July 12, 2012 | $3,607,600.19 | $851,033.10 | $(406,079.06) | $4,052,554.23 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $1,801,369.21 | $(687,506.29) | ||||||||
2006
Sanders won election to the U.S. Senate in 2006. During that election cycle, Sanders's campaign committee raised a total of $5,554,466 and spent $6,596,060.[19]
| U.S. Senate, Vermont, 2006 - Bernie Sanders Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Total Raised | $5,554,466 |
| Total Spent | $6,596,060 |
| Total Raised by General Election Opponent | $7,315,854 |
| Total Spent by General Election Opponent | $7,300,392 |
| Top contributors to Bernie Sanders's campaign committee | |
| eScription Inc | $25,200 |
| Baron & Budd | $18,000 |
| Childrens Research & Education Institute | $16,000 |
| Operating Engineers Union | $12,600 |
| Laborers Union | $12,500 |
| Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee | |
| Retired | $436,999 |
| Democratic/Liberal | $187,666 |
| Lawyers/Law Firms | $144,299 |
| Education | $97,286 |
| Transportation Unions | $74,600 |
Analysis
Lifetime voting record
According to the website GovTrack, Sanders missed 32 of 1,933 roll call votes from January 2007 to April 2013. This amounts to 1.7%, which is equal to the median of 1.7% among current senators as of April 2013.[20]
Congressional staff salaries
The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Sanders paid his congressional staff a total of $2,395,679 in 2011. He ranks 2nd on the list of the lowest paid Independent Senatorial Staff Salaries and he ranks 26th overall of the lowest paid Senatorial Staff Salaries in 2011. Overall, Vermont ranks 45th in average salary for senatorial staff. The average U.S. Senate congressional staff was paid $2,529,141.70 in fiscal year 2011.[21]
Net worth
2011
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Sanders' net worth as of 2011 was estimated between -$18,986 and $634,996. That averages to $308,005, which is lower than the average net worth of Independent Senators in 2011 of $6,099,707. His average net worth decreased by 28.20% from 2010.[22]
2010
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Sanders' net worth as of 2010 was estimated between $-56,988 and $914,996 . That averages to $429,004, which is lower than the average net worth of Independent Senators in 2010 of $1,205,273.[23]
National Journal vote ratings
2012
Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of congress voted in the previous year. Sanders ranked 32nd in the liberal rankings in 2012.[24]
2011
- See also: National Journal vote ratings
Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of congress voted in the previous year. Sanders ranked 29th in the liberal rankings.[25]
Recent news
This section displays the most recent stories in a Google news search for the term Bernie + Sanders + Vermont + Senate
- All stories may not be relevant to this page due to the nature of the search engine.
Bernie Sanders News Feed
- Sanders praises pope's condemnation of 'cult of money' - vt.Buzz (blog)
- Sen. Bernie Sanders 'troubled' by FCC pick's lobbying past - The Hill (blog)
- VT Senator Sanders Introduces Increase In Veterans Benefits - Lez Get Real
- Sanders calls for gas price probe, emergency action by oil market regulators - vtdigger.org
- Boxer uses Okla. tornado to push carbon tax - Daily Caller
- House passes automatic COLA for veterans - Marine Corps Times
- Sanders, Denmark ambassador to hold Vt meetings - Boston.com
- Former NLRB chair: Appointments have been a battleground for decades - Washington Examiner
- Fashionable Cartoon Characters: Who Knew 'Toons Could Be So Cool ... - Huffington Post
- Letter Box - Brattleboro Reformer
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Personal
Sanders lives in Burlington, VT, with his wife Jane O’Meara Sanders and his four children.[7]
External links
- Social media:
- Biographies:
- Political profiles:
- Fact-checking:
- Financial:
- Interest group ratings:
- Issue positions:
- Legislation:
- Public statements:
- Voting record:
- Works by or about:
- Media appearances:
- Media coverage:
References
- ↑ Official Senate website "Newsroom," Accessed October 12, 2011
- ↑ http://democrats.senate.gov/members/
- ↑ Gov Track "Bernard Sanders," Accessed March 3, 2012
- ↑ Burlington Free Press blog "Sen. Bernie Sanders wins Democratic endorsement for re-election," November 7, 2011
- ↑ Biographical Guide to Members of Congress "Bernie Sanders," Accessed October 12, 2011
- ↑ New Statesman "Who's left? The top 20 US progressives," January 11, 2012
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Official Senate website "About page," Accessed October 12, 2011
- ↑ Congressional Quarterly "Senate Committee List" Accessed January 22, 2013
- ↑ Los Angeles Times "Social Senator schemes to fire fed chair Bernanke," Accessed October 12, 2011
- ↑ Official Senate website "Newsroom," Accessed October 12, 2011
- ↑ U.S. Senate "Roll Call Vote on the Fiscal Cliff" Accessed January 4, 2013.
- ↑ Official primary candidate list
- ↑ Associated Press primary results
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006"
- ↑ Open Secrets "Donor history for Bernie Sanders" Accessed April 25, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission "Candidate (S4VT00033) Summary Reports - 2011-2012 Cycle," Accessed July 20, 2012
- ↑ Federal Election Commission "Friends of Bernie Sanders April Quarterly," Accessed July 20, 2012
- ↑ Federal Election Commission "Friends of Bernie Sanders July Quarterly," Accessed July 20, 2012
- ↑ Open Secrets "Bernie Sanders 2006 Election Cycle," Accessed November 26, 2011
- ↑ GovTrack, "Sanders," Accessed April 11, 2013
- ↑ LegiStorm "Bernie Sanders"
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Sanders, (R-Vermont), 2011"
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Sanders, (I-Vermont), 2010"
- ↑ National Journal, "2012 Congressional Vote Ratings," February 28, 2013
- ↑ National Journal, "Searchable Vote Ratings Tables: Senate," February 23, 2012
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jim Jeffords |
U.S. Senate - Vermont 2007-Present |
Succeeded by - |
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