Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., won reelection Tuesday, defeating Republican Gerald Malloy and securing his fourth term in the U.S. Senate. At 83, Sanders will continue his decades-long career in Washington with another six-year term.
Known as a leading progressive, Sanders has championed policies like Medicare for All and a higher federal minimum wage. First elected to the U.S. House in 1991, Sanders moved to the Senate in 2007 and ran for president in 2016 and 2020.
Though he is an Independent, Sanders is expected to continue caucusing with the Democratic Party.
Malloy, a former U.S. Army officer and business executive from Perkinsville, Vermont, campaigned as a staunch conservative. Originally from Boston, he graduated West Point in 1984 and holds a graduate degree from Temple University.
The outcome was widely anticipated in a state that last elected a Republican U.S. Senator in 2000. Malloy, 62, had previously run for the Senate in 2022 and lost to Democrat Peter Welch.
A stark difference between two candidates
At a debate two weeks ago, hosted by Vermont Public and VTDigger, the two candidates took starkly different stances on major issues, including inflation, climate change, and the national debt.
On inflation, Malloy blamed “massive overspending” by the government, saying it has driven up prices, especially for groceries. Sanders argued that corporate greed and supply chain issues are the main drivers, pointing to high profits in the food industry at consumers’ expense.
Climate change brought more division, with Sanders emphasizing urgent action and pointing to his own renewable energy legislation. He warned a Republican-led Congress could stall progress. Malloy acknowledged climate change but argued for market-driven solutions over government mandates, stressing the need for U.S. energy independence.
In a heated moment, Sanders challenged Malloy’s support for presidential candidate Donald Trump, calling Trump a “pathological liar.” Malloy defended his position, criticizing progressive policies for economic and border issues. Malloy also questioned Sanders on the national debt, while Sanders pointed to GOP resistance to tax reform as an obstacle.
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Jeremy Yurow is a politics reporting fellow based in Hawaii for the USA TODAY Network. You can reach him at [email protected] or on X, formerly Twitter @JeremyYurow
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bernie Sanders reelected to U.S. Senate after defeating GOP opponent
