Due to some unforeseen snow flurries in Wyoming, Bernie Sanders added another pit stop to its California campaign trail.
The Wiltern in downtown Los Angeles was filled to capacity as the potential presidential candidate spoke to eager fans Wednesday, March. 23.
“I think it was a great turnout, we did this in a 24-hour turnaround, less than 24 hours more like 18,” State Director of California Michael Ceraso said.
“It was a packed house and I think it was great. Californians were ready for him to be here, the June 7th primaries will be a big deal,” he added.
California is said to be a state that the Sanders needs to win.
Similar to its campaign moniker “Feel the Bern,” the news of the additional rally spread like wildfire.
Those in attendance were buzzing with anticipation prior to the start of the event.
“Being in Los Angeles I expect the crowd to go wild. There’s a large demographic here that supports Bernie,” Isaac Alvarado said.
In true Hollywood fashion Sanders was fashionably late to the event that was set to start at 7 p.m.
He eventually graced the stage at 7:56 p.m. after being introduced by Rosario Dawson.
He arrived to nothing but cheers and applause.
During the allotted time Sanders continued to elaborate on his many political views as he has done in the past few months.
Race, Wall Street, and education were some of the many topics Sanders mentioned to a packed venue.
Many times he referenced the political differences between him and fellow democrat Hillary Clinton.
Lorelei Carlson said, “The biggest difference is [Sanders] doesn’t have any super PACS. His campaign is totally grass roots. He’s been saying the same thing for 30 years and he just hasn’t changed his stances.”
In regards to the Iraq war, Sanders mentioned that Clinton was in favor of the war and he was not.
He even went as far as to say he will not have the men and women of the armed forces fighting in “perpetual warfare.”
Sanders said on many occasions in the past that he refuses to throw non-political jabs at opposing candidates. That is something that has gotten many supporters on his side.
Alvarado said, “To me that says he’s actually worried about the issues instead of trying to win the election. He’s going to win the election based on people seeing who he is personally.”
So far in the early going Clinton holds a slight edge over Sanders in terms of delegates however, it does not discourage the many supporters feeling the ‘Bern.’
She currently has 1,690 delegates while Sanders has 946.
Alvarado said, “The next couple of months will be really telling especially with some of the northeastern states coming up. It’ll be all about the west and the northeast [Clinton] has the south down but that was kind of expected.”
The concern for the Sanders campaign is because of his explosive engagement of students, due to his political belief to make college education tuition free, that maybe he will not get a guaranteed turnout at the polls.
Ceraso expressed, “Engagement is easy to talk about but hard to instill in people. Some really believe in it, other folks feel like government and the process is letting them down.
“Bernie Sanders reflects and represents that. He is saying he will go out and fight for you.”
Sanders admitted that Clinton did well in the southern states but said that’s the past and the campaign trail has moved onto the western states.
As he finished up his speech he said that he felt confident if he was to win California he would have a very good chance at making his way into the White House.
That is something that Cesaro believes is a very capable possibility after tonight’s turnout.
“[Sanders] had huge crowds in the state’s he’s won. I think you are going to see the same thing in California,” he said.
