The weekend prior to Arizona’s March 22nd Presidential Preference Election brought a trifecta of presidential campaigns to Tucson. Candidates crisscrossed the state in an effort to reach potential voters. On Friday, March 18th Bernie Sanders held a rally at the Tucson Convention Center to a crowd of thousands. Crowd estimates range in the neighborhood of 5000 attendees.
Local Flamenco artists Tesoro performed a set while people filled the arena.
National award-winning vocalist and American Idol Finalist Crystal Stark performed the Star Spangled Banner followed by several Sanders supporters including Arizona State Coordinator at Bernie Sanders for President Jose Miranda, environmentalist Carolyn Campbell, Pima County Working Young Democrats President Morgan Abraham, and Air Force veteran Jesus Magana. Crystal Stark then led the crowd in America The Beautiful.
Steve Earle’s The Revolution Starts Now announced the main event. Congressman Raul Grijalva briefly spoke and announced Bernie Sanders. Grijalva was the first of six United States Representatives to endorse Sanders. Sanders spoke for nearly an hour highlighting his views on democracy, equality, immigration, Native American issues, the environment, education, private detention, health care, the economy, and more. He highlighted his campaign’s grass roots fundraising and he encouraged people to go to the polls on Tuesday. When his stump speech was over, he went into the crowd to meet people while strains of David Bowie’s Starman played over the loudspeakers.
Recorded and produced by Amanda Shauger. Photos used by permissoin of A.T. Willett Photographer.
