Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ son Levi is contemplating a Congressional bid in next door New Hampshire.
Vice News first reported the 48-year-old’s thinking, reporting that the younger Sanders is thinking of jumping in the race for retiring Democratic Rep. Carol Shea-Porter’s seat, considered one of the most competitive districts in 2018.
‘Oh absolutely, I’m definitely considering it. I’m excited, motivated, and interested in the race,’ Levi Sanders said. ‘I’m just dotting my ‘i’s and crossing my ‘t’s.’
Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (left) adult son Levi Sanders (right) told Vice News that he’s contemplating running for a Congressional seat in New Hampshire
Levi Sanders (left) has the same political positions as his dad, Sen. Bernie Sanders (right), suggesting the only notable difference between the two is that he’s a vegetarian
Levi Sanders (pictured) served as a senior policy strategist for his father’s presidential campaign. Here he attends a campaign event in April 2016 in New York
Levi Sanders told Vice that his politics are nearly identical to his dad’s.
‘The basic difference is that I’m a vegetarian and he’s not,’ Levi Sanders said.
The elder Sanders launched what looked like it would be a long-shot presidential bid in 2016, but captured the enthusiasm of liberal Democrats, forcing the establishment candidate, Hillary Clinton, to compete in a four and a half month primary race.
Sanders’ platform was well known: healthcare-for-all, free college and taking on the billionaire class.
Levi Sanders served as a senior policy adviser to his dad’s campaign.
Sen. Bernie Sanders’ run rattled some in the Democratic Party, and it looks like Levi’s potential bid could have the same effect.
Establishment Democrats are supporting Chris Pappas, a former state House rep and fourth-generation restaurant owner who serves on the New Hampshire Executive Council, Vice said.
Additionally, the Bernie wing of the party already had a candidate to back: Rep. Mark MacKenzie, one of Sen. Sanders’ earliest supporters from the Granite State.
In this 1995 photo Sen. Bernie Sanders (left) and his won Levi Sanders (center) attend a birthday party for the late Sen. Paul Wellstone (right)
The state political director of the Sanders campaign is already working for MacKenzie, Vice pointed out.
Beyond Pappas and MacKenzie, five other Democrats are already vying for Shea-Porter’s seat.
The younger Sanders may also get some flack for being a carpet-bagger.
While he resides in New Hampshire, he doesn’t live in the 1st Congressional district.
The younger Sanders could follow in the footsteps of Sen. Rand Paul, whose father ex-Rep. Ron Paul had a national following thanks to his presidential bids.
While Ron Paul represented Texas in the Congress and Rand Paul resided in Kentucky, the elder Paul’s libertarian-leaning base swept in helped fund the younger Paul’s campaign, giving him enough momentum to take out the Kentucky GOP’s establishment pick, Trey Grayson, Kentucky’s secretary of state.
For Sanders both the primary and the general election could be challenging, though most generic ballots are showing Democrats with an advantage going into the fall, and history is on the party’s side.
Presidents’ parties tend to lose Congressional seats during their first set of elections after inauguration.