Bernie Sanders is in the Senate.
Bernard Sanders ( born September 8 , 1941 ) is an American politician who has been the junior United States Senator from Vermont since 2007 . He served as a congressman for 16 years before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006 . In 2012 , he was reelected with 71 % of the popular vote . The 2012 United States Senate election in Vermont was held on November 6 , 2012 , alongside the presidential election , other elections to the United States Congress , as well as various state and local elections .