Bernie Sanders, who lost the democratic nomination in 2016 to Hillary Clinton, has announced he plans to run for president again.

Senator Sanders, now 77, ran a surprisingly effective grassroots campaign that focused on progressive policies and fighting against the culture of ‘bought and paid for’ politics. He got the backing of 23 states and came very close to snatching the democratic nomination from frontrunner Hillary Clinton.

Many have speculated that Senator Sanders, if nominated, would have beaten now President Donald Trump in the federal election. He has since been one of the leaders in opinion polls for democratic candidates to run against President Trump.

In an email to his supporters, Senator Sanders said that his 2020 campaign “is not only about defeating Donald Trump” but “about creating a government and economy that works for the many, not just the few.”

While Senator Sanders was a uniquely progressive liberal voice in otherwise establishmentarian democratic circles in 2016, he now faces more competition from similarly minded candidates. There is also an increased demand for female and ethnic minority political leaders, which may lead to questions about his relevancy.

Senator Sanders has been a vocal opponent of Mr Trump, stating in his email that he was “a pathological liar, a fraud, a racist, a sexist, a xenophobe and someone who is undermining American democracy as he leads us in an authoritarian direction,” as well as “the most dangerous president in modern American history”.

Mr Trump has been heavily criticised during his presidency thus far, having had a mixed response to his recent State of The Union address and his dismissal of the counsel from top US intelligence officials.