Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Monday rebuffed criticism that he is “too old” to seek the presidency, challenging critics to “follow” him on the campaign trail.
“It’s not whether you’re young, it’s not whether you’re old; it’s what you believe in,” Sanders said during a town hall event hosted by Fox News.
{mosads}Sanders, 77, would be 79 by the time he took office if he were to win the 2020 presidential contest. That would make him the oldest chief executive to sit in the Oval Office.
Questions about age have swirled around the 2020 Democratic primary field as older candidates like Sanders continue to top polls.
Younger candidates, like South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg, 37, have called for a “new generation” of leadership in Washington, while Sanders’s defenders have argued that presidential hopefuls should be evaluated on their ideas and proposals, not their age.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, 76, who has not yet announced a presidential bid but is expected to jump into the race soon, has faced similar questions about his age.
The Vermont senator dismissed concerns about his age on Monday, accusing the media of focusing too much on trivial issues and not enough on candidates’ policy proposals.
“There is too much focus on individuals and not enough focus on the American people and what their needs are,” Sanders said.