Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks at the State Theatre in Portland to campaign for progressive policies Saturday. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer
Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders spoke to a full house at the State Theatre in Portland on Saturday morning during a sweep of campaign stops in New Hampshire and Maine.
The senator and former presidential candidate was in the state campaigning for a “aggressive progressive agenda” and for Democratic lawmakers down the ballot. He presented former President Donald Trump as a danger to the country, drawing on Trump’s recent felony conviction and multiple lawsuits.
“We will not be able to look at our kids and our grandchildren in the eye if we elect someone like (Trump) as president,” Sanders told the crowd.
Sanders, who stood behind President Biden as he faced calls to drop out of the presidential race, has not issued an official endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential run following Biden’s exit from the race. However, he told the crowd Saturday that he will do “anything I can” to elect Harris.
Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks during an interview with the Portland Press Herald prior to his speech at the State Theatre in Portland on Saturday. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer
“I think Kamala Harris is going to be the Democratic nominee,” Sanders said in an interview with the Portland Press Herald before the event. “I think she stands an excellent chance of winning.”
In the days since Biden dropped out of the race, Harris has drawn support from influential Democrats and raised more than $100 million nationwide. She also gained key backing in Maine, with the state’s delegates to the Democratic National Committee pledging their support to the vice president. Those delegates include U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, Gov. Janet Mills and several state-level Maine Democrats. However, U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, who is expected to be one of Maine’s eight so-called superdelegates, says he is “absolutely not” yet committed to backing Harris.
During his speech Saturday, Sanders encouraged Harris and other lawmakers to support – and voters to demand – a slew of progressive policies, from income equality to health care for all. Among others, he advocated for raising the federal minimum wage, bringing back the child tax credit included in the American Rescue Plan, and expanding Medicare to cover dental, hearing and vision care.
Members of the audience listen as Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at the State Theatre in Portland on Saturday. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer
“We have more income and wealth inequality than we’ve had in the history of this country. … 60% of our people are living paycheck-to-paycheck,” Sanders said. “We have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major nation on Earth. We are the only major nation not to have a national health care system.”
He also said Mainers going to the polls this November should vote “yes” on the Maine Limit Contributions to Super PACs Initiative, a ballot question that would set a $5,000 annual limit on individual contributions to certain political action committees.
“I’m really enthusiastically in support of what Maine is trying to do,” Sanders said. “We’ve got to get that message all over the country that billionaires cannot be allowed to buy elections.”
Ashley Hoot, of Portland, and her 10-year-old son Maurice came out to listen to Sanders at the State Theatre. Hoot, a longtime Sanders supporter and former Vermont resident, said she has not decided how she will vote in November but hopes Harris adopts Sanders’ progressive policies.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks at the State Theatre in Portland on Saturday. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer
“I think everyone should get out and vote,” Hoot said.
Following the Portland event, Sanders was scheduled to stop in Bangor to host a town hall at the Cross Insurance Center. He has also traveled to Ohio, New York and Wisconsin this summer.
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