For Bernie Sanders, persistence has paid off. With every statewide run since 1972, he was able to increase his percentage of the vote, until ultimately winning a seat in the House in 1990 and later a U.S. Senate seat in 2006.
"They truly are mavericks and bring a different type of politics to Washington. That is a message that I think will sell in Vermont, that it's not same-old, same-old." -- Former state House Speaker Walt Freed on John McCain and Sarah Palin's presidential campaign ticket