Levi Sanders, son of Bernie Sanders, is running for Congress in New Hampshire

Show Caption Hide Caption Bernie Sanders' son is running for Congress in New Hampshire The son of Vermont Senator and former Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is launching his own congressional career

Levi Sanders, the son of 2016 presidential contender Sen. Bernie Sanders, announced Monday he's running for Congress in New Hampshire.

Sanders, 48, seeks the seat of Democratic Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, who has held the seat for New Hampshire's 1st congressional district since 2017 (and on-and-off since 2007). She won't seek re-election in 2018.

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Sanders' announcement of his campaign boasts some of the same themes as his father's presidential run: tuition-free college and healthcare without "out-of-pocket" expenses. He also aims to tackle the opioid epidemic, "sensible" gun legislation and equal pay for women.

Sanders is running as a Democrat, which makes eight Democrats vying for Shea-Porter's post, according to WMUR-9.

Sen. Sanders, an independent from Vermont, backed his son in a statement to WMUR.

"I am very proud of Levi's commitment to public service and his years of work on behalf of low income and working people," he told the Manchester television station. "Levi will be running his own campaign, in his own way, with his own ideas. The decision as to who to vote for will be determined by the people of New Hampshire's first district, and nobody else."

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According to his campaign, Levi Sanders is a senior legal analyst and a specialist in Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income Benefits. He's lived in New Hampshire for 15 years with his family.

"For over 17 years, I have represented the working class who have been up by the system," he said in a statement. "It is time to demand that we have a system which represents the 99% and not the 1% who have never it so good."