Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) impact on American politics is being examined in the “Long Game: The Bernie Sanders Effect,” a new special from MS NOW.

Featuring interviews with the senator, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, “Long Game” dives into how the senator has helped shape a new generation of political leaders and the way they are redefining the Democratic Party.

A decade after his first presidential bid challenged the Democratic Party’s status quo with his campaign against Washington, D.C., veteran Hillary Clinton, Sanders’ populist, worker-first politics appears more popular than ever.

Midterm campaigns from Sanders-endorsed candidates like Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed and Minnesota’s Peggy Flanagan have gained national attention this election cycle, along with a slate of other democratic socialists and progressives in his model.

Breaking down why his movement continues to resonate with voters, Sanders told MS NOW senior contributing editor Michele Norris, “Ours is bottom-on-up politics, grassroots politics, knock on doors. That’s how we win elections.”

At 85, Sanders has all but ruled out another run in 2028, leaving the question of who will be his political heir top of mind for progressives and establishment Democrats alike.

This midterms will be a proving ground for how the senator’s style of politics will fare in his stead and if Americans might even be ready to see a Sanders-style leader in the White House.

Calling the 2026 election cycle one of the most critical midterms in her time covering politics, Norris said Sanders is clearly “at the heart” of this shift.

“He has inspired, endorsed and supported a roster of progressive, left-leaning candidates who surprised the Democratic establishment in the primary and now face the biggest test yet this November,” she said. “The stakes are enormous for him, for the Democratic Party and for the country.”

“Long Game: The Bernie Sanders Effect” will air Saturday, Oct. 17 on MS NOW.

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