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Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has indicated that his upcoming Senate term, beginning in January, will likely be his last in Congress.

The 83-year-old progressive leader, who recently secured his fourth Senate term, acknowledged the reality of his age in a conversation with Politico, noting he would be 89 when his term concludes.

“I’m 83 now. I’ll be 89 when I get out of here,” Sanders told Politico. “You can do the figuring. I don’t know, but I would assume, probably, yes.”

The longtime progressive champion recently led an unsuccessful Senate effort to block certain offensive weapons sales to Israel, citing concerns over civilian casualties in Gaza. The measure was defeated 18-79.

Before his Senate career, which began in 2006, Sanders served eight terms in the House of Representatives and mounted two notable presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020.

Following Trump’s victory over Harris in the recent presidential election, Sanders expressed concern about his party’s disconnect from working-class Americans.

“The average American is hurting,” he told Politico. “You’ve got to recognize the reality of what’s going on. And I’m not sure that enough Democrats are doing that.”

Regarding the Progressive Caucus he co-founded in 1991, Sanders noted varying levels of alignment with his views, stating, “Some do and some don’t. Dozens of them are really strong progressives who share my perspectives.”

As Republicans take Senate control, Sanders will step down as chair of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, though he expressed hope about reclaiming the position if Democrats regain the majority in 2026.

“We are the only major country on earth that doesn’t guarantee health care to all of its people,” he told the outlet. “And we pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs. My vision is pretty clear as to where we have to go.”