Bernie Sanders Is Only a Year Younger Than Patrick Leahy, With No Plans to Retire

Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy announced on Monday that he will not seek re-election while fellow Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who is only one-year younger than Leahy, currently has no plans to retire.

While speaking from his home state of Vermont, Leahy said, "I have reached the conclusion that it's time to put down the gavel."

Leahy continued, "It is time to pass the torch to the next Vermonter who will carry on this work for our great state. It's time to come home.… I'm proud to be the longest-serving senator because I know my time in the Senate has made a difference for Vermonters and I hope often well beyond."

Leahy, 81, is currently the longest-serving sitting senator, as he was elected in 1974 and has been serving since 1975. Leahy also serves as the president pro tempore of the Senate.

Shortly after his announcement, the Vermont Democrats Twitter account thanked Leahy for his time serving in the Senate.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee also issued a statement following Leahy's announcement, calling him a "lion of the Senate."

"He reflects the very best values of the institution and through his service he has shaped the direction of our country for the better in countless ways. Vermont is a blue state that has not elected a Republican to statewide federal office in more than 20 years, and Democrats look forward to winning this Senate seat in 2022," the statement said.

While Leahy announced that he will not seek re-election on Monday, Senator Sanders, 80, has not made any similar announcements, such as his own plans to retire.

Sanders most recently won re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2018, defeating Republican Lawrence Zupan. In 2019, Sanders filed for re-election to the Senate in 2024 and according to the Daily Beast, his campaign team said the filing was a standard renewal of his candidacy for the Senate seat.

In a tweet responding to Leahy's announcement, Sanders wrote, "I know I speak for all Vermonters in expressing the deep gratitude we feel for the extraordinary role that Sen. Leahy has played in representing Vermont in the U.S. Senate for the last 46 years."

Sanders continued, "Jane and I wish he and Marcelle a wonderful and well-earned retirement."

Sanders previously ran for the presidency in 2016 but fell short to Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary. He then ran for the presidency again in 2019 but ended his campaign in April 2020.

While Sanders has yet to announce any plans to retire, he told The Washington Post last year that there was a "very, very slim" chance that he'd run for president again.

In Vermont, no Republican candidate has announced a bid for the 2022 Senate race. On the other side of the aisle, some Democratic candidates who could take over Leahy's seat include Vermont Rep. Peter Welch, Vermont state Senator Kesha Ram-Hinsdale and the state's Lt. Gov. Molly Gray.

Newsweek reached out to Sanders' for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.