 -- Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Independent who has risen quickly in the polls for the 2016 Democratic nomination, predicted with confidence Sunday that he’ll secure the nomination and be elected president next year.

“We are going to win New Hampshire. We’re going to win Iowa, and I think we’re going to win the Democratic nomination, and I think we’re going to win the presidency,” Sanders told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on “This Week.”

Sanders said his economic message targeting the middle class would help him secure the nomination.

“The American people are sick and tired of seeing the disappearance of the great middle class of this country,” he said. "They're sick and tired of working longer hours for low wages while at the same time 99 percent of all new income generated is going to the top one percent."

When asked about a recent poll showing his low support among non-white voters, Sanders told ABC News he has spent many years fighting for civil rights and added he believed his economic message would resonate with minority communities.

“I have a long history in fighting for civil rights. I understand that many people in the African-American community may not understand that,” he said.

“Given the disparity that we're seeing in income and wealth in this country, it applies even more to the African-American community and to the Hispanic community. And what we are going to do is make a major outreach effort to those communities, let people know my background, let people know my record, and I think we're going to do just fine in those communities,” Sanders added.

The Vermont Independent also dismissed any possible concern over his age should he be elected president. He would be 75 years old on Election Day.

“I don't think I've taken a day off because of sickness in several years. So I believe as somebody who has -- when he was a kid, a long distance runner, I'm blessed with endurance, I'm blessed with health,” Sanders said.