Bernie Sanders coming to Tucson rally at Reid Park

The 74-year-old Vermont senator will speak at 7 p.m. at the Reid Park DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center, according to campaign organizers. Reid Park is on South Country Club Road at East 22nd Street.

Sanders attracted about 11,000 supporters at the Phoenix Convention Center in July, said Jenise Porter, an organizer of Progressive Democrats of America in Southern Arizona. Organizers expect about 7,000 at Reid Park.

“He has a wide range of supporters from 18-year-olds on up,” Porter said. She described Sanders as a progressive who wants to “regenerate the middle class, have the wealthy pay their fair share in taxes, make college tuition-free, protect Social Security and create a national health plan through Medicare.”

The local, grassroots organization supporting Sanders has about 2,000 members in Southern Arizona, about 5,400 statewide and is growing, she said.

“I am receiving up to seven calls per week from people who want to volunteer, host ‘We Want Bernie’ house parties or work a table at public events,” said Porter, a state coordinator for volunteers and for house gatherings. There have been about 30 house parties in Southern Arizona, including Tucson, Sahuarita, Green Valley, Bisbee and Tombstone.

Local Democrat Laura Hogan said she is encouraged by how Sanders has energized younger voters to become active in the political process, and hopes they will continue to support whoever becomes the Democratic nominee next year.

Hogan, however, will not be going to the Sanders rally this week.

A supporter of another prominent Democratic presidential candidate, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Hogan says she is not impressed with Sanders’ legislative record in Congress.