Sen. Bernard Sanders unveiled his first television commercial of the 2020 presidential campaign, casting himself as a proven warrior for workers and those struggling to get by.

The “Fight for Us” ad features footage from Mr. Sanders’ campaign kickoff rally, where he shared the story of how being raised in a family that “struggled economically powerfully influenced my life and my values.”

“In this moment, we need a fighter,” the narrator says. “Bernie Sanders. We know he’ll fight for us as president because he always has.”

The narrator says that Mr. Sanders has led the charge for $15 minimum wage, “Medicare for All” and civil rights.

“Whether it was Wall Street, the drug companies or other powerful special interests, Bernie has taken them on. For us,” the narrator says in the 60-second ad.

“Now, our country is at a turning point. A dangerous demagogue tearing our nation apart, hard-working people betrayed by [President] Trump, a health care system that makes enormous profits for drug and insurance companies, and a planet on the brink of a climate disaster,” he says.

The Sanders campaign said the television ad is part of a $1.3 million buy in Iowa, signaling a new phase in the campaign for the Vermont independent.

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