Bernie Sanders leaves door open for 2020 presidential run

Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Bernie Sanders might gear up for another shot at the White House.

The Vermont senator said late Tuesday he hasn't ruled out an independent run, or another bid for the Democratic nomination in 2020.

Sanders, 77, made the remarks on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

"My focus right now is on 2018 and to do everything that I can to end one-party rule of the House and the Senate," he said, noting it's "too early to be talking about 2020."

When asked by Colbert if he could rule out another run, he said "no."

Sanders made noise in the 2016 race with a strong campaign, but ultimately lost the Democratic nomination to Hillary Clinton.

Wednesday, he told CBS This Morning he is growing tired of the Republican leadership in Congress and the White House, who have been critical of Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill.

"I think [House Democratic leader] Nancy [Pelosi] has done a good job," Sanders said. "I think it's also the fact that she's a woman. I think they have demonized her.

"The Republican Party is bankrupt intellectually, they are not going to campaign on their views of giving tax breaks to billionaires and cutting Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid, so they have to come up with [Pelosi as] some demon."