As he hopes to tip Washington’s caucus delegates in his favor, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders will hold a rally Thursday in Yakima.
“Sanders will discuss a wide range of issues, including getting big money out of politics, his plan to make public colleges and universities tuition-free, combating climate change and ensuring universal health care,” the campaign said in a Tuesday news release announcing the rally.
Doors are scheduled to open at 4 p.m. at the Yakima Valley SunDome in advance of the rally, according to a listing on the Sanders website.
Efforts to reach the campaign Tuesday evening to learn why Sanders chose Yakima for a rally point were unsuccessful, as were attempts to reach local Democratic leaders.
Sanders and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton have targeted Washington, where, along with Alaska and Hawaii, caucuses will be held Saturday. Washington, with 118, has the most delegates at stake among the three states. Of the delegates, 101 will go to either former Secretary of State Clinton or U.S. Sen. Sanders based on the results of Saturday’s caucus. The remaining 17 so-called super-delegates- top party and elected officials who are automatic delegates to the Democratic National Convention – are free to pledge to a candidate of their choice. The majority have said they are backing Clinton
On Sunday, Sanders drew crowds in the thousands to the largest of his Washington rallies, at KeyArena in Seattle. He also held events in Spokane and Vancouver. On Monday he was in San Diego and on Tuesday was in Flagstaff, Ariz.
On Tuesday, Clinton spoke at the Machinists Union Hall in Everett, met with tribal leaders in Puyallup and at Rainier Beach High School in Seattle later in the evening.
