As a line of thousands of drenched supporters of presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders snaked its way across the grounds at Hudson’s Bay High School, it became clear early on that not everyone would have a chance to see the candidate inside the school’s gymnasium.
There were just too many people to fit in the nearly 5,000-person gym where Sanders kicked off a tour of Washington state Sunday, nearly a week ahead of Saturday’s Democratic caucuses.
But everyone, even those stuck outside after the gym was full, had a chance to hear Sanders speak.
As rain poured from the sky, Sanders stepped up to a small stage set up on the muddy grounds in front of a cheering crowd hundreds strong.
Parents hoisted their children onto their shoulders to get a better look. Some stood in the bleachers at nearby baseball fields. Everywhere, supporters held their phones high in the air to grab a shot of Sanders.
“We need millions of people to get involved in the political process, so let us stand together,” Sanders urged the crowd. “Let’s transform America. Let’s win a huge victory here in Washington next Saturday.”
Sanders repeated his speech to a crowded cafeteria full of supporters who couldn’t fit inside the gym. Then, at last, came the moment many had waited for hours to see, when Sanders took the stage in the high school’s gym to thousands of cheering and screaming supporters.
In the hours before Sanders’ speech, thousands of rain-jacket-clad, umbrella-toting supporters gathered at the high school. Techno music blasted over the crowd. Dozens came with homemade signs touting their support for Sanders. The occasional collective cheer of “Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!” broke out among the crowd.
For Vancouver couple Tracey Fast, 52, and his partner, Margarita Lazova, 37, this moment was important enough to wait in line since Saturday morning.
“I’ve never been to or contributed to any campaign before,” Fast said, standing at the front of a line that was already hundreds deep early Sunday morning. “This is a first for me. That’s how important I feel this is.”
Lazova said she attended Sunday’s rally “for our kids, for you and for everybody else.”
“I’m here because I’m feeling the Bern,” she said. “I’m here to support Bernie Sanders. Frankly, he’s our only hope right now.”
Dyani Toohey, a 19-year-old from Vancouver, had waited since 6:30 a.m. for the opportunity to hear her candidate speak in her hometown.
Toohey, who wore a purple “Bernie 2016” button that matched her equally vibrant hair, called it a “once in a lifetime experience.”
“He’s just about (how) everybody should be treated the same, and that’s what I believe in,” she said. “Everybody’s equal. It doesn’t matter what your skin color is, it doesn’t matter what religion you practice, you deserve to be treated as well as everybody else does in the country.”
Others drove from out of town to hear Sanders speak.
Jose Soto-Gates, 38, came from his home in Eugene, Ore., to attend Sunday’s rally.
“I’m a huge Bernie fan. … I brought my daughter and her friend. I brought my friend, Tami, who drove two hours to Eugene to carpool up here. And then we drove to Kelso to pick up my mother before we actually came back down here,” Soto-Gates said.
Gregory Gregg wore a homemade T-shirt with a photo of his daughter and her family — all wearing matching Sanders T-shirts — underneath his rain jacket.
“Bernie represents all that’s good in America,” the 69-year-old said. “And we have a choice now between voting for the people we’re told to and voting for Bernie Sanders. And Bernie Sanders represents the people. And the other candidates represent big money interests.”
