Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders drew hundreds of people to the State Theater in Portland on Saturday to call on supporters to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris for President this November, and to volunteer to get out the vote.
"This is, in fact, the most important election of our lifetimes. We have got to work double time and triple time to make sure that Trump is not elected and that the Vice President is," Sanders said.
Sanders highlighted issues he says are hurting Americans, including income inequality, high drug and health care prices, and the lack of affordable housing. He said the one percent of Americans that have the most wealth have too much power over our economic and political systems and that government must work for all Americans, not just the billionaire class.
One woman in attendance, who identified herself as an uncommitted voter, said there's more young people like her who want to see Donald Trump defeated, but don't support the Biden Administration's policy on Gaza.
Sanders said many Democrats in Congress are prepared to vote against sending more money to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"What we have got to do in a grassroots way is say to the Democratic Party, that the policies that you have right now regarding Netanyahu are wrong. And if you really want to get young people involved in this campaign, the time is now to change those policies," he said.
Sanders said the election comes at a pivotal moment in American history and keeping Democrats in control of the US House and Senate is as important as electing Harris as President.