Bernie Sanders Rallies Supporters in San Jose Ahead of California Primary

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders rallied supporters in San Jose on Sunday, hoping to spur his faithful to the polls ahead of California's presidential primary on Tuesday.

"The candidate who wins here in California will likely be the Democratic nominee," Sanders told a crowd of thousands at South Hall in the city's convention center. "Let us on Tuesday have the highest turnout in the history of California."

Sanders' afternoon rally was part of the campaign's final swing through the Golden State before Super Tuesday, when California's 415 delegates are up for grabs.

After his speech, Sanders headed south to Los Angeles, for an evening rally at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

In San Jose, Sanders laid out his sweeping progressive agenda and argued why he is the most formidable challenger to President Trump in the fall.

"The only way we beat Trump is with the largest voter turnout in the history of this country," Sanders said. "And that is what our campaign is uniquely capable of doing."

Sanders spoke a day after former Vice President Joe Biden's victory in the South Carolina primary, and minutes before news broke of former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg's departure from the race.

With a narrowing field of moderate Democrats standing in his path to the nomination, Sanders focused his attention on Biden, slamming his past votes in favor of the Northern American Free Trade Agreement and the Iraq War.

"Please do not forget Joe Biden voted for the war in Iraq," Sanders said. "And that was the worst political decision ever made by the United States Congress."

Sanders has maintained a strong lead in California primary polls, although those snapshots of the electorate were taken before Biden's victory in South Carolina and Buttigieg's departure from the race.

The latest Change Research poll commissioned by KQED last week found Sanders with the support of 37% of Democratic primary voters, followed by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 20% and Biden at 12%.

The excitement among Sanders supporters in San Jose over a potentially decisive win in California was palpable. Many supported his presidential run four years ago, and have backed progressive causes even longer.

"I'm 85 years old and I've been fighting for the rights of people all my life," said Uvaldo Palomares of Livermore. "This is as close as we've gotten."

Sunnyvale resident Bryan Allata said he was confident about Sanders' chances on Tuesday.

"He wasn't able to break through in 2016, but you can kind of feel that the dam is breaking," Allata remarked.

Sanders' strong standing among Latino and younger Californians was well represented in the crowd gathered in downtown San Jose.

San Jose State University student Alan Baez said he appreciated Sanders' support for local progressive causes.

"San Jose is a diverse city and usually we get swept up into the Silicon Valley crowd," Baez said. "But there's gentrification everywhere and Sanders talks a lot about rent control."

Rebeca Armendariz arrived early and nabbed a spot near the stage, where she displayed her handmade sign that read "Chicanos for Bernie."

"I've been involved in political campaigns my whole life but nothing has me as charged up or as inspired as Bernie Sanders," she said. "This one is different because there's so many young people who feel how genuine he is."

Sanders received one of the most raucous ovations of the afternoon when he applauded younger voters for being "the most progressive young generation in the history of this country."

Then, he laid out what he called the "bad news," and the enduring challenge for his campaign in California and beyond:

"This generation does not vote in the kinds of numbers that we need," he said.

Before Sanders spoke, campaign leaders urged the crowd to take note of California's rules allowing independent voters to participate in the state's Democratic primary.

No party preference voters can request a Democratic presidential primary ballot at their polling place, vote center, or county registrar's office. Vote-by-mail voters can bring in their blank NPP ballot and exchange it for one with the Democratic presidential candidates.