Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders to Open Campaign Office in Oakton

OAKTON, VA -- Fairfax County is soon going to “feel the Bern.” Presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont is opening a campaign office in Oakton, his campaign announced Wednesday.

In 2006, Sanders was elected to the U.S. Senate after 16 years as Vermont’s sole congressman in the House of Representatives. Sanders is now serving his second term in the U.S. Senate after winning re-election in 2012 with 71 percent of the vote.

The campaign will formally open its Fairfax field office, at 2952 Chain Bridge Road, Suite H in Oakton, the first Sanders campaign office in Virginia.

Peter Clerkin, Sanders’ Virginia state director, will speak to supporters at 6 p.m. at the campaign office. The opening is free and open to the public; doors open at 5:30 p.m. RSVPs are strongly encouraged.

Sanders, an Independent running as a Democrat for president, faces Democrats Hillary Clinton, former U.S. Secretary of State, and Martin O’Malley, former governor of Maryland.

In a new poll out Wednesday, Sanders leads the race in Iowa by 4 percentage points, according to Quinnipiac University polling.

Clinton visited Northern Virginia in October, rallying supporters in Old Town Alexandria with Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe. McAuliffe, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner of Virginia and Northern Virginia Congressmen Don Beyer and Gerry Connolly have all thrown their support behind Clinton.

Virginia is one of the 11 Super Tuesday states voting on March 1.

PHOTO: U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont/photo from U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders Facebook page