Sanders says he has 'not ruled out another run for president' in open Democrat primary, report

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders says he is open to another run for the presidency in 2024, if Democrat President Biden decides not to seek a second term.

Sanders is an Independent but ran for president in 2016 and 2020 as a Democrat.

"In the event of an open 2024 Democratic presidential primary, Sen. Sanders has not ruled out another run for president, so we advise that you answer any questions about 2024 with that in mind," reads a memo from a top Sanders political adviser.

The Washington Post obtained information about the memo.

In response to the leaked memo, Sanders spokesman Mike Casa told The Post, "While it’s frustrating this private memo leaked to the media, the central fact remains true, which is that Senator Sanders is the most popular officeholder in the country."

Following his 2020 presidential campaign, Sanders, a progressive leader, told the news outlet that the possibility of him running for president again was "very, very slim."

The 79-year-old Biden reportedly said recently that he intends to run for a second term in 2024. 

The broader memo is mainly focused on helping campaigns supported by Sanders assess how best to address attacks against his endorsement. The memo also mentions that the 80-year-old senator is interested in "endorsing more candidates" and figuring out where to travel.

The document provides example responses to questions that are critical of Sanders and his support.

"Sen. Sanders is an independent and an avowed Democratic Socialist. Why are you accepting his endorsement?" is one listed question.

The document, written by Faiz Shakir, Sanders' 2020 campaign manager, lists the response as: "Sen. Sanders is putting forward an extremely popular vision for the Democratic Party that will win back critical support that we have lost. In fact, Bernie wants to build power for the working class and take on the corporate socialism that our political system currently favors."

A different question asks about supporting Sanders if he challenges Biden in 2024.

"Sen. Sanders is focused on helping Joe Biden have a successful presidency. As chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, no one fought harder for the president’s policy agenda than Bernie. He traveled to Republican congressional cistricts last summer to promote [Biden's] Build Back Better [spending proposal]. Unfortunately, that legislation was stopped by corporate Democrats," is the proposed response.