The three remaining Democratic presidential candidates rallied thousands of supporters in Des Moines last night, at the state party’s annual Jefferson Jackson Dinner.
During the Saturday’s speeches, Senator Sanders drew contrasts to Clinton by talking about his early opposition to the war in Iraq, the keystone XL pipeline and the Defense of Marriage Act. Janice Payne is a retired lab tech from Des Moines. She attended a rally for Senator Sanders before the dinner.
“He’s more for the middle-class and he’s not about being bought by the upper echelon. That’s what happens – they’ve been bought so bad so they have to fill these obligations to these other people that have the money that we don’t have.”
Payne she hasn’t made up her mind quite yet about who she’ll support… she wishes there was a bigger field.
Polls out of Iowa this week show former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leading Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. The recent poll from Quinnipiac Universityhas Clinton ahead by 11 percentage points, while a new Des Moines Register pollthis week has Clinton with a seven point lead.
Earlier Saturday, candidates held big outdoor rallies for supporters. Former President Bill Clinton and pop star Katy Perry appeared at a rally for Clinton in downtown Des Moines. On the east side of the Des Moines River, Bernie Sanders spoke to supporters before leading them across a pedestrian bridge to the convention hall where last night's dinner was being held.
“And this march will not only get us to the event tonight," Sander said. "It is a symbolic march. Makes me think about the great marches for civil rights, immigration reform, social justice, addressing our environmental crises”
Sanders, Clinton, and former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley will compete for Iowa Democratic support when the caucuses are held on February 1st.
