On July 29, the largest organizing event of 2016 was hosted by presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Over 100,000 people participated in over 3,500 simultaneous meetings as part of a historic nationwide grassroots campaign. The event’s sheer size is evidence of enthusiasm for the Vermont Senator who has repeatedly turned out crowds upwards of 10,000 people - larger than any other campaign. Locally meetings were held in Beckley and White Sulphur Springs which attracted attendees from throughout West Virginia and Virginia. Sanders is a candidate who has declined the support of large corporate donors in favor of a campaign built upon the efforts of a network of grassroots volunteers and small contributors. Some of the issues supported by the Sanders platform are: 1) campaign reform to assure that wealthy donors, special interest groups and corporations can no longer buy elections, 2) addressing the issue of income inequality and the shrinking middle class, and 3) free tuition for higher education. According to the latest poll, 42 percent of New Hampshire voters would vote for Clinton as opposed to 36 percent for Sanders - a statistical tie according to the survey. The poll also found Sanders leading in terms of favorability with a rating of 59 percent versus Clinton’s 54 percent. Future events are being planned for our area and anyone wishing to become involved can contact the Bernie Sanders campaign website at https://berniesanders.com/.
