Win McNamee/Getty ImagesHillary Clinton's got some competition!
Bernie Sanders has officially confirmed his 2016 presidential run, and per NBC News, the independent Vermont senator will be running as a Democrat.
So...should Hillary be worried? According to Bernie, who describes himself as a "Democratic socialist," she certainly should be! "People should not underestimate me," he said. "Ive run outside of the two-party system, defeating Democrats and Republicans, taking on big-money candidates and, you know, I think the message that has resonated in Vermont is a message that can resonate all over this country."
The 73-year-old politician is an ardent supporter of marriage equality and same sex-couples' right to wed (Vermont, as you remember, was the first state to legalize gay marriage back in 2009). He's also adamant about closing in on what he describes as "obscene levels" of "wealth inequality" in this country.
"This is a rigged economy, which works for the rich and the powerful, and is not working for ordinary Americans," he said, per NBC News. "You know, this country just does not belong to a handful of billionaires."
Per the senator's website, he's been "pushing for higher taxes on the rich and more money for programs serving the middle class and poor since long before talk of income inequality became fashionable." He also "favors equal pay for women, a higher minimum wage and stronger labor rights."
Can't wait to watch these debates!