Eyeing 2020 polls, Sanders to rake up defending democratic socialism in Washington

Democrat Senator Bernie Sanders is scheduled to deliver a speech on defending democratic socialism next week in Washington DC as the battle for the top post heats up ahead of next year's presidential polls.

Sanders is slated to deliver the address at George Washington University on June 12 where "he will put democratic socialism in its context as part of the American progressive tradition," according to a statement from his campaign.

"He will make the case that a strong grassroots campaign based on these progressive values is the only way to confront oligarchy and authoritarianism and defeat Donald Trump," the statement said.

A self-described democratic socialist and progressive, Sanders, a senator from Vermont, is known for his opposition to economic inequality.

Sanders is the oldest candidate running for the presidential post in the 2020 elections.

In February, the 77-year-old had announced that he will be contesting in the 2020 presidential elections, marking his second consecutive bid for the Democratic nomination after losing to Hillary Clinton in 2016.