Bernie Sanders’ consistent rhetoric and relentless criticisms of the establishment continue to earn him unwavering support, despite having the presidential nomination taken from him last year. Harvard released a poll analysis this week regarding who should be the Democratic presidential nominee in 2020, as reported by the Observer, and Sanders came out as most favorable among his political peers and rivals at 20 percent. This may not be surprising, as a previous poll declared that Bernie Sanders is unquestionably the most popular politician in America, further examined by the Huffington Post. Sanders, Vermont senator and longtime socialist, continues to garner support and approval even though he isn’t currently campaigning for anything.

People are not truly free when they have no health care. People are not free if they can’t afford to live. https://t.co/ivA6tYUwHd — Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) March 19, 2017

Sanders has been an outspoken opponent of injustice, inequality, and poverty for his entire political career. Sanders got his start in college, where he became an active member of the Young People’s Socialist League and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). He participated in a number of rallies and demonstrations, mostly for racial equality, and actually helped to organize the first sit-in protest in Chicago’s history, according to the University of Chicago Magazine.

Sanders has carried his social and economic criticisms for close to five decades and remains true to his political principles. He is most vocal about things that he’s been fighting since his days in college; reforms pertaining to campaign financing and corporate welfare, racial discrimination, failing banking and criminal justice systems, rights in regards to parenting and privacy, addressing severe income inequality, dishonest U.S. foreign policies, and of course, healthcare availability. Sanders and his supporters are considered progressive because of their ideas on reform and repair, but Sanders has had mostly the same beliefs and political positions for his entire career.

It’s no surprise that Bernie Sanders’ consistency in his values has earned him some of the most devout supporters in the political scene today — more so than any one of his Democratic rivals. Harvard’s polls continue to prove that Sanders is the most desirable politician in office, and his rhetoric increases in popularity with each speech and appearance. The latest poll conducted by Harvard pertained to the Democrats and who the leader of their party is.

As reported by the Observer, 40 percent believe that the DNC does not have a leader, while 15 percent claim that former President Obama is the leader. Senator Bernie Sanders came in at 12 percent, leading both Elizabeth Warren and Hillary Clinton, who are legitimate, longtime Democrats. Sanders, regularly cited as a democratic socialist and one of the Democratic Party’s biggest critics and adversaries, is right behind Barack Obama in terms of leadership of the party. Sanders and his supporters are usually shunned and considered outcasts by typical mainstream Democrat voters because they are so outspoken with their skepticism of the establishment.

I say to young people all over this country: Get involved in the political process. We need your energy. We need your idealism. pic.twitter.com/lVJ9PUy5gg — Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) March 20, 2017

Although Sanders is regarded as the most popular politician in America and a potential leader for the Democrats, many consider the DNC to be cornered without options, and “out of heroes,” reports the Observer. Sanders will criticize any shred of corruption no matter which side of the spectrum it’s on, left or right, but he has turned his eye on President Trump and his questionable policies, as reported by an earlier Inquisitr article. Bernie’s presence in Harvard’s political polls is telling and shows that his supporters truly believe in what Sanders has to say, and they even hope he takes another stab at the White House in 2020.

The good news is that the American people are catching on to Trump's lies. pic.twitter.com/du57oM7ShU — Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) March 23, 2017

Bernie Sanders spoke at Harvard in 1991, and his words are just as relevant to his platform today as they were then.

“My major criticism is in fact that we are not even discussing the most important problems facing this country. What is going on to a large degree in this country is the enormity of the problems are being swept underneath the rug, and there is not serious debate. And what are the ramifications of that? The ramifications of that process both by the Democratic and Republican Party and the mass media is that tens of millions of people in this country now have given up on politics, have very little belief that the government is capable of resolving the enormous problems facing this country.”

Sanders will maintain his momentum and continue to attract political supporters as long as he stays true to his values; that unwavering support could carry him to another presidential campaign in 2020.

[Featured Image by Alex Wong/Getty Images]