Sen. Bernard Sanders is pushing to become the chairman of the Senate Health Committee in the new Congress, a perch from which he could champion Medicare for all and other bold ideas.
If he seizes the gavel, Mr. Sanders would take over for Sen. Patty Murray, Washington Democrat, who just won reelection and is positioned to take over the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee after Democrats retained the majority in the midterm contests pending the Dec. 6 Georgia runoff.
Mr. Sanders is a Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats and is the foremost champion of a government-run, single-payer system that would provide health insurance to all Americans.