Bernie Sanders and Jane O’Meara  – Together Since 1988

Bernie Sanders and Jane O’Meara’s paths first crossed in 1981 on the night of Bernie’s inaugural mayoral victory in Burlington, Vermont, a win by a narrow margin of just 10 votes. Their shared Brooklyn roots, though in different cultural settings, laid the foundation for their connection. Bernie, raised in an immigrant Jewish family, and Jane, the youngest of five in a Catholic household, married on May 28, 1988.

The day after their wedding, they embarked on a trip to the Soviet Union, reflecting Bernie’s role as mayor. Bernie embraces Jane’s three children from a previous relationship—Dave, Carina, and Heather—as his own, illustrating the depth of their family bond.