Vermont poised to elect America's first socialist senator  ·
Cantankerous campaigner strikes chord with voters · New
milestone nears after eight terms in Congress Democrat Bernie
Sanders of Vermont After winning eight consecutive elections to
the House of Representatives, Democrat Bernie Sanders of Vermont
is set to become the first socialist senator in US history.
Photograph: Alison Redlich/AP The following correction was
printed in the Guardian's Corrections and clarifications column,
Saturday November 4 2006  We described Bernie Sanders as
Vermont's only congressman in the article below. He is the
state's only member of the House of Representatives, but it has
two senators, who are also congressmen.  Amid the furious debate
over Iraq and the speculation that George Bush may be a lame
duck after next Tuesday's mid-term elections, an extraordinary
political milestone is approaching: a cantankerous 65-year-old
called Bernie looks set to become the first socialist senator in
US history.  Bernie Sanders is so f