HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — On a night when Bernie Sanders fell further behind Hillary Clinton in the race for the White House, he found support in a state that would usually not embrace his policies.
At his rally before about 6,000 people at Huntington’s Big Sandy Superstore Arena, Sanders didn’t focus on losing four out of the five contests Tuesday night. Instead he praised his supporters, many of whom were in their 20’s and 30’s.
“This campaign is doing as well as it is, with the extraordinary energy and enthusiasm that we are generating all across this country,” the Vermont Senator told the crowd. “Look at this room here tonight.”
Sanders focused on many of the hot button issues that have become the trademark of his campaign, including climate change, poverty, the economy, education (free college) and income inequality.
“It is about having the courage to demand a political revolution,” he said of his campaign. “And you are the revolutionaries. The fight that we are waging is not an easy fight. I know you are prepared to wage that fight against the one-percent, against the billionaire class.”
He touched on West Virginia’s drug epidemic and how to solve it, pointing out that there’s a similar problem in his home state of Vermont.
“I know that it is a serious crisis here, but trust me it is a serious crisis in my state as well,” said Sanders. “The issue of how we deal with it seems to me to reach the conclusion that we have got to deal with substance and addiction as a health issue not a criminal issue.”
The crowd was engaged with Sanders’ speech the entire time, cheering, booing, and chanting his name. A line wrapped around the outside of the arena several hours prior to doors opening at 5:30 p.m., as supporters bought merchandise and started ‘Feel the Bern’ chants.
At one point, Sanders addressed McDowell County’s plight as one of the nation’s poorest, which spoke to Austin Sigmon, who described himself as a longtime Sanders supporter.
“The McDowell County statistics were very good,” he said. “To show people who maybe do not know. I think that was probably the most powerful part; the poverty statistics.”
Nikki Stone, a Vermont native living in West Virginia, said she was impressed by Sanders’ unwavering policies, and would support him even if Clinton won the nomination.
“The most important thing is Bernie’s consistency; for as long as he’s been in politics he’s always delivered the same message, and that’s equality. Regardless of how much money you earn, everybody should be afforded the same equal rights,” Stone said. “I am a die-hard Sanders fan since I was able to vote, and I’m going to stick with Bernie.”
Sanders made no predictions on the nomination, but he promised to win West Virginia’s primary on May 10 as long as voter turnout was high.
“As of today we have now won 16 primaries and caucuses all over this country, and with your help we’re going to win here in West Virginia,” he predicted to thunderous applause.
State Sen. Minority Leader and Democrat gubernatorial candidate Jeff Kessler, who previously endorsed Sanders, also spoke at Tuesday night’s rally.
Sanders only won in Rhode Island in a slew of Northeast primary contests Tuesday, losing contests in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Delaware.