'It's Bernie or bust for me': Sanders rally expected to draw Grand Forks guests
Owen Dahl, a 63-year-old self-employed welder, feels the Bern.
His support for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has gotten him more politically involved in this campaign cycle than he's ever been before. He can tick off a long list of Sanders positions he supports, including on social security, education, medicaid, healthcare, the minimum wage and campaign finance.
Now, he says, he's making automatic payments to the Sanders campaign every month, and drove five hours to see him speak in Duluth earlier this year. When he travels to see Sanders speak in Fargo on Friday, he said he'll be an event volunteer.
"I'm sure (a Sanders presidency) would improve my life, especially since I'm getting close to retiring," he said. "But I'm backing him more for my grandkids more than anything. I want to see to it that they have a better future, with spending in better places."
Dahl is just one of many Grand Forks region residents that are headed to hear the presidential hopeful speak in Fargo ahead of North Dakota's June 7 Democratic caucuses, where 18 delegates and five unpledged delegates, or "superdelegates," are up for grabs. Plenty of other Grand Forks area residents say they're headed out to the event as well, all of them excited at the chance to hear what the candidate—once given long odds on such a deep primary season run—has to say in person.
"I really wanted to go because this is the first presidential election I have been able to vote in," said Paige Blanchard, 21 and nearly finished with her junior at UND. "I missed the 18 (years old) requirement by a month my senior year of high school. I really want to be a part of something I care so deeply about."
Blanchard is the incoming president of UND College Democrats. She stressed that her group isn't endorsing any particular candidate yet—it's evenly split, she said—and neither is she.
Blanchard acknowledged that plenty of young people have made their support clear for Sanders, though, and said the phenomenon seems to stem from his appearance as an "outsider," role and issues like reduced college expenses.
"We don't want the 'free stuff' that everyone claims," she said. "We want to be able to achieve our goals and not pay off debt for 40 years of our lives."
Valerie Tronnes, a 56-year-old Grand Forks resident, said she's headed to the event as an "interested voter" alongside her daughter and her daughter's friend. Much like Dahl, she's ready to tick off a number of achievements she thinks Bernie Sanders can accomplish, from higher wages to more jobs.
"I'm looking forward to the fact that he's still in there," Tronnes said. "I want to show up for him."
The news on Sanders' upcoming visit came just days after the announcement that Donald Trump will visit Bismarck on May 26, and shortly before the announcement that President Bill Clinton will visit Fargo on May 20.
Those hoping to attend Sanders' rally are encouraged to RSVP in advance at berniesanders.com. Doors open at 11 a.m. at the Ramada Fargo Convention Center, 1635 42nd St. S., with the event itself expected to take place in the early afternoon. Admittance is open on a first-come, first-served basis.
Sanders is also slated to visit Bismarck on Friday evening at the Bismarck Depot, 401 East Main Ave. Doors to the event open at 6 p.m., with an RSVP option available at the same website.
State Rep. Corey Mock, D-Grand Forks, said he hopes presidential candidates' attention on the state translates into electoral enthusiasm. The same phenomenon occurred in 2008, he said, when Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both spoke at the state party's convention.
"I'm glad to see when North Dakota is recognized by a presidential candidate of either party," he said.
Dahl said he's looking forward to it.
"It's Bernie or bust for me, and my wife and my kids," Dahl said. "We're going to write him in if we have to."
http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/politics/4031481-its-bernie-or-bust-me-sanders-rally-expected-draw-grand-forks-guests
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