U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders supporters packed Fertitta Center on Sunday afternoon for the presidential candidate’s first 2020 rally in Houston.
Over 6,500 people attended the event that encouraged people to vote in the Texas primary on Super Tuesday, Mar. 3. Sanders told the crowd he’s confident they’ll win the upcoming primary and the November election.
“This state, maybe more than any other state, has the possibility of transforming this country,” Sanders said.
College students across the Houston area came to show their support, and some from UH said they had been dreaming of this moment.
“I am super excited to be here,” said political science junior Madeline Garza. “He’s super progressive. He has never changed his stance on almost everything. Fights for equality. Fights for women and minorities.”
Some students, like computer science freshman Spencer Neighbors, said they were interested to see Sanders talk about his policies in a live, uncut format. Neighbors said that Sanders’ plan for Medicare For All is what sets him apart from other candidates.
“I just support them all the way,” Neighbors said about Sanders’ health care policies.
Others looked forward to hearing Sanders’ plan for the rest of his campaign and the election season.
“I just want him to talk about the primaries and how we’re going to defeat Trump and just what he’s going to implement when he becomes president,” Garza said.
The visit comes after Sanders won the Nevada Democratic Primary caucus on Saturday.
In Texas, Sanders has doubled his support among Democratic voters and is now leading the Democratic field heading into the state primary, according to a poll from the University of Texas and the Texas Tribune.
“We’re gonna win here in Texas, and in November, we’re gonna defeat Trump here in Texas,” Sanders said.
Sanders’ speech focused on essential platforms of his campaign: healthcare, reforms on immigration, climate change solutions and raising the minimum wage.
When it came to his policies on free tuition and cancelling student debt, Sanders said that all American regardless of their income have the right to get a higher education, whether that be college or trade school.
“I’ve been waiting for this day since 2016 when he was running against Hillary,” Garza said about Sanders coming to campus. “I’m just so happy.”
Some of the Vermont senator’s rally connected policies directly to their effects on Houstonians and Texans as a whole. In his discussion on climate change activism, Sanders referenced the effects of Hurricane Harvey on Houston.
“When we talk about extreme weather disturbances — hey Houston, you know a little bit about that,” Sanders said. “You know about the incredible downpours and the floods that have impacted this city and communities all over the world.”
Contrary to the idea that Texas is a conservative state, Sanders said if the young and working class citizens come to the polls, his team could win the election.
“In this, the most consequential election in the modern history of America, let us go forward, let us beat Trump, let us transform this country,” Sanders said.