“Let me thank the people of Vermont, from the bottom of my heart, for giving me the opportunity to serve in the United States Senate. It has been the honor of my life,” he said. “Today, I am announcing my intention to seek another term.”

Sanders, who will turn 83 before the November election, would be 89 by the end of his fourth term in January 2031, should he win reelection.

In his announcement video, Sanders argued for codifying “Roe v. Wade into national law,” “making sure all public colleges and universities are tuition-free,” and against funding for Israel in its war with Hamas.

The filing period for the August 13 primaries in the state opened in late April, and the deadline is May 30.

Sanders easily won the Democratic nomination in 2018 with 94 percent of the vote and went on to win the general election handily against that year’s Republican nominee, Lawrence Zupan, and a number of third-party candidates.