Sanders Expected To Run For Jeffords' Senate Seat

Independent James Jeffords, who foiled Republican plans when he defected from the party to hand brief control of the Senate to the Democrats four years ago, announced his retirement, paving the way for the only Socialist in Congress, Rep. Bernard Sanders, to run for the seat. Sanders has made public comments expressing his interest in the seat and is widely expected to run for it.

The popular Sanders, who won an eighth House term last year with more than 65% of the vote, is the only Independent in the House but served as mayor of Burlington as an avowed Socialist.

Sanders has been a long-time supporter of credit unions and was one of the leading advocates of HR 1151, the CU Membership Access Act that was passed in 1998, but opposed the recently passed bankruptcy reform bill, which he called a give-away to big banks and credit card companies.

CU Journal Washington Bureau Chief Ed Roberts can be contacted by e-mail at eroberts cujournal.com.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER