Bernie Sanders is by far my favorite politician and a personal political role model. And while many may not like his views or consider him “radical,” one thing that I have heard from almost everyone about Sanders is that he is consistent. He’s been fighting for the same ideals ever since he became mayor of Burlington, Vermont. Despite over three entire decades of politics, he is still kicking, continuing his movement even now into 2025 with his “Fight Oligarchy” campaign, drawing hundreds of people to each rally, and amassing over 100,000 views on YouTube alone. It’s safe to say that for as long as Sanders lives, the progressive movement has a face. However, I fear that the spirit of Our Revolution being primarily led by Sanders, is soon to dwindle, unless they can find a new leader.
Sanders recently went on an interview with Dana Bash from CNN on the future of his campaign. In this interview, when asked about running for president again in 2028, he said: “Let’s not worry about that,” and continued with saying, “I am going to be 84 years of age next month, as a matter of fact. I think that speaks for itself.”
Sanders said that “what is more important” is educating, organizing, and giving “working-class people an agenda” to understand that “we can, in fact, provide a decent standard of living for all our people.” Within the rest of this interview, Sanders consistently mentioned how he feels the progressive movement will be taken over by grassroots action, and has refused to give his endorsement to any specific candidate, leaving what some call “Bernie’s Mantle” open to be replaced. If not Sanders, then who else? Why would they be picked?
Candidate #1: Elizabeth Warren.
Elizabeth Warren is one of the candidates to take over the progressive movement. Being ideologically aligned with Sanders and having a history of campaigning with him, Warren’s own anti-oligarch stature has put her in the position to inherit Sanders’ mantle. While she has faced criticism from both left and right members for her exaggerated claims of Native American ancestry, Warren has been a powerful influence on the progressive movement and still, to this day, has a strong presence politically. Her recent actions taken with Sanders against RFK and his policies have pushed her even further into the spotlight of a progressive leader. Unlike Sanders, however, Warren has had several ideological changes over the years.
A close high school friend of hers stated in 2019 that Warren was a “diehard Conservative.” This change in rhetoric could be seen as a negative factor when considering leadership, as Sanders has been fighting for the same positions for almost his entire political career. With all of these factors coming together, Warren could potentially be the next progressive leader, but I find factors such as age and standpoint to say that it’s unlikely.
Candidate #2: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC).
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known as AOC, is the most likely candidate to take over the progressive movement, and it seems that she has been primed for this role for almost her entire political career. AOC’s political career has been short so far, but unlike Warren, she has stayed mostly ideologically consistent. She has been described as Socialist, although one could argue that her policies are more Social-Democratic. The reason I say she is the most likely candidate is that she has been at Sanders’ side for almost the entire “Fight Oligarchy” campaign. Both Progress Now and Our Revolution, which are progressive organizations that endorse candidates, consider her a strong leader for their movements. She is also attempting to win an election in the senate. She has also been consistently outspoken about issues that the progressive movement takes seriously. Her shock victory in New York’s representative election pushed more and more to her side, and with her name being tied to Sanders at the current moment, she has the momentum to win over many voters.
However, AOC might not be what the progressive movement needs. It’s sad, but true, to say that a decent amount of Americans would not vote a woman into the presidential office, and even fewer would rally around her as a leader. AOC is also a controversial figure; her fiery language and comments about certain topics and politicians have made her seem worse in the public eye, as well as many considering her positions to be radical, or even, for some, not radical enough. Despite all of these negatives, I still believe that AOC is the most likely candidate for the next progressive leader, and I can only hope that she is as passionate and resourceful as Sanders.
It’s safe to say that AOC is the most likely candidate to take over the progressive movement. However, the grassroots approach that Sanders has set in motion could still survive and even thrive. Using websites like Our Revolution, or other progressive organizations, the progressive movement can still rally. It is clear that support for things Sanders has fought for is only growing. Americans want a single-payer healthcare system. Americans want a better tax spending system. And Americans want to raise the minimum wage. It’s clear that the future is one that needs to be fought for, and I truly believe that the progressive movement needs not just a leader, but also a thriving grassroots movement.
