Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders brought what he calls his "political revolution" to the Boston area Monday.

The former 2016 presidential candidate rallied for progressive politicos running for local offices in Cambridge and Somerville.

Sanders came to Somerville as part of his effort to build a nationwide grassroots progressive movement and generate excitement for down-ballot races across the country.

"We need a mass movement of people at the grassroots level who are going to stand up and fight back," Sanders, who is also a former mayor, said Monday. "And that means getting involved, which is what you are doing and those candidates are doing at the local level."

Sanders threw his star power behind a group of local candidates for the board of aldermen, the school board and city council in Cambridge and Somerville who have been endorsed by OUR REVOLUTION. With chapters across the country, the group was formed by supporters of Sanders' presidential campaign in hopes of backing progressives in races nationwide.

Sanders acknowledged these are dispiriting times for his supporters, while offering a reprise of his presidential campaign speech — including a condemnation of growing economic inequality, a push for single-payer health care and free public college for all.

"These ideas exist already in country after country all over the world! We got thousands of kids — American kids — going to Germany now. You know why? Because they can get free college education in Germany," Sanders explained. "Well, we thank you, Germany. But we should be doing it here in the United States of America."