Thousands of supporters of Bernie Sanders have packed the Craneway Pavilion at Ford Point for a campaign rally in Richmond, California.
With the 7,000 capacity venue overflowing by start time, early estimates suggest a crowd of more than 10,000 in attendance at the Bay Area rally. After the event, Sanders’ campaign confirmed 10,396 attend the rally.
A long list of activists and elected officials, including actor Danny Glover, San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin and state assembly member Ash Kalra. “So, let’s be clear. The billionaires are the cause, and not the solution to the moral crisis,” Kalra told the crowd.
“We must make it clear, once and for all, to all the billionaires that our democracy does not belong to them. Our democracy belongs to we the people.”
Absolutely AMAZING!
— Shaun King (@shaunking) February 17, 2020
This is in Richmond, California RIGHT NOW as the Bay Area shows up BIG TIME for @BernieSanders! pic.twitter.com/ksVpweo65h
An fired up Sanders addressed the highly energetic crowd of thousands just after 1pm.
Addressing suggestions from the Democratic establishment that he would be unable to win a general election, Sanders said, “take a look at this crowd today and tell me we can’t win this election!”
“Today we say to the entire 1 percent that we’re gonna create a government that represents working people, not just wealthy campaign contributors.”
Sen. @BernieSanders is rallying in Richmond, CA today, on the banks of the San Francisco Bay. Beautiful day in the Bay area. pic.twitter.com/kxOLeaa9Gu
— Gary Grumbach (@GaryGrumbach) February 17, 2020
Polling released last week shows Sanders with a 13 point lead in the Golden State. According to FiveThirtyEight’s Democratic primary forecast, Sanders has a 63 percent chance of winning the most votes in the state.
The California primary is held on Super Tuesday on March 3. Sanders will travel to Washington later Monday for an evening rally in Tacoma.
