Story highlights Sanders is drawing some of the largest crowds of the presidential election cycle

Donald Trump and Ben Carson were the first two 2016 presidential candidates to receive Secret Service protection

Washington (CNN) Bernie Sanders' campaign has requested Secret Service protection for the Vermont senator, a Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman said Saturday.

Marsha Catron told CNN that the department and a congressional advisory committee, which includes House Speaker Paul Ryan, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, is reviewing the request.

Sanders is drawing some of the largest crowds of the presidential election cycle, including a crowd of 20,000 in Minnesota this week. A private security detail has been accompanying Sanders at some of his stops.

Last week -- before Sanders' campaign made the request -- Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told CNN that Sanders would likely get the protection based on his crowd sizes.