Sanders rallies his supporters, urging continued commitment to getting out the vote
By Jasper Scherer March 9, 2018
Excerpt:
Sanders’ two-day swing through Texas came on the heels of a pair of momentous San Antonio election results linked to his progressive movement: the ousting of Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood, fueled in part by on-the-ground efforts from ex-Sanders staffers, and the unlikely second-place finish by one of Sanders’ 2016 delegates, Rick Treviño, in the Democratic primary for the 23rd Congressional District race. Sanders’ speech centered on the idea that his “movement” shouldn’t be limited to blue states or areas — part of the reason he’s heading to deep-red Lubbock on Saturday.
“I honestly, honestly have never believed in this blue-state, red-state nonsense,” Sanders said. “Any state in this country, which is every state in this country, which has working people who are struggling, can and must become a progressive state.”
“If you in Texas are prepared to work hard, stand up, fight back, go out to your neighbors, talk to those people who voted for Trump, make sure that every friend you have, and family member that you have, comes out and votes — yeah, I believe that Texas can go blue,” the Vermont senator and 2016 Democratic presidential contender said to applause.
Sanders set a goal of 50 percent voter turnout, a high bar in a mid-term election. Turnout in Texas was under 34 percent in the 2014 general election and 38 percent in 2010. And while Democrats had a surge in turnout in Texas primary elections this year, Republicans still outnumbered them.
“The way we defeat Trump is for every person in this room, and all of us, … to get involved in the political process in a way that we have never done in the modern history of this county,” he said.
https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/politics/article/Sanders-rallies-his-supporters-urging-continued-12742753.php