It's Too Early, Says Bernie Sanders, But 2020 Run 'Not Off The Table'

In a radio interview set to air Thursday, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT)--currently the nation's the most popular elected lawmaker--alluded to a potential 2020 presidential run.

Sanders told the host of "Make It Plain with Mark Thompson" that while it's too early to make a definitive statement about whether he'll run, he is "not taking it off the table."

As a Democratic candidate, Sanders would once again bring his progressive agenda to the forefront on the national political conversation--this time with potentially strong support for his key issues including universal healthcare, tuition-free higher education, bold climate action, and tackling economic inequality.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has implored Democrats in recent weeks to embrace single payer healthcare--offering a clear distinction between their plan for the nation's healthcare system and the Republicans' Trumpcare bill, which only 17 percent of Americans have supported in the weeks since it was released.

With three years to go until the next election, Sanders's chief cause has already gained traction with Democrats including Sen. Kristen Gillibrand of New York, as well as voters. A recent Kaiser Foundation poll found that 53 percent of Americans now support Medicare for all, up from 46 percent in 2008--a relatively modest increase, but one that could bode well for a Sanders run in 2020.

While Sanders's recent actions point to a potential run that will likely energize his many supporters, he is quick to urge his fans to focus on defeating the legislation Donald Trump is attempting to pass.

"Our job right now is to not only fight against this disastrous healthcare proposal, it is to take on all of [President] Trump's reactionary proposals," he said in the interview. "There's a whole lotta fights that we have to fight."