By CLAIRE RUSH, Associated Press/Report for America
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders kicked off an eight-state tour in Oregon on Thursday by talking about abortion, but honed in on a subject some Democratic candidates have largely avoided on the campaign trail: The economy.
The tour is an effort to energise young voters and shore up support for vulnerable Democratic candidates ahead of the midterm elections. Other planned stops for Sanders include California and the battleground states of Florida, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
“That is an important midterm election in the fashionable history of our country,” Sanders told the group of a whole bunch of individuals gathered at downtown Portland’s Roseland Theater.
He criticized the U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned the appropriate to abortion, after which turned to the talking points he’s been urging Democratic candidates to take up for months, including the nation’s wealth inequality; fears that a Republican-controlled Congress may cut Social Security, Medicaid or Medicare; and the best way that prime corporate profits within the oil, food and prescription drug industries could also be fueling inflation.
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“In the event you’re sick and uninterested in paying 4, five and even six bucks a gallon for a gallon of gas, understand that the biggest five oil firms in America made $59 billion in profits throughout the second quarter alone of this yr,” Sanders said, pinning inflation on the availability chain disruptions stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, Russia’s war in Ukraine and “corporate greed.”
The rallies in Portland and Eugene, Oregon, included appearances with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tina Kotek and Oregon’s Democratic nominee for the state’s 4th District congressional seat, Val Hoyle. Hoyle is running against Republican Alek Skarlatos for the seat left open by the retirement of longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio.
Typically a bastion of West Coast liberalism, Oregon has turn into the unlikely site of some of the competitive governor’s contests within the country. Considered a toss up by analysts, the three-way race features Kotek, Republican Christine Drazan and nonaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson.
Democrats are concerned that Johnson may act as a spoiler by siphoning votes from Kotek and potentially boosting the GOP in turn.
“A vote for Betsy Johnson is a vote for Christine Drazan at this point,” Kotek said on the Portland rally.
Enrique Ruiz, a 24-year-old Portland resident and labor organizer who attended, said he already planned on voting for Kotek but was excited that Sanders got here to town.
“The incontrovertible fact that Bernie is coming out here, it sends a really powerful message. If someone like Bernie recognizes that this is significant, then I will be here,” Ruiz said.
Sanders is the newest high-profile progressive to stump for Kotek after Sen. Elizabeth Warren visited Portland last weekend. President Joe Biden also campaigned with Kotek during a recent trip to Oregon, and former president Barack Obama has urged voters to support her in a recently released digital ad, as national Democrats pay close attention to the race.
Democrats hope the rallies will energize their base and sway potential Johnson voters to support their candidate as a substitute.
All three candidates can have to woo nonaffiliated voters, who outnumber each registered Democrats and Republicans within the state, although they surpass Democrats by a much slimmer margin.
Claire Rush is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Claire on Twitter.
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