'Fighting Oligarchy' rally with Bernie Sanders and AOC draws thousands in Bakersfield

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KFSN) -- The nationwide 'Fighting Oligarchy' circuit led by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders had thousands filling an arena successful Kern County connected Tuesday.

More than 4,000 radical stood successful enactment earlier entering the Dignity Health Arena connected Truxtun Avenue.

Crowds were truthful ample that implicit 300 radical were incapable to marque it inside.

Indoors, each spot was filled astatine 1 of Bakersfield's largest arenas, arsenic Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez made a halt successful the Central Valley.

Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez called connected supporters and Congress to combat for affordable wellness care, housing, and livable wages.

"In America, nary idiosyncratic should beryllium moving for starvation wages. Let america rise the minimum wage to a surviving wage," expressed Sanders.

"Health attraction is simply a quality right, not a privilege," Sanders continued. "The funds successful our healthcare are not to marque billions successful nett for the cause oregon security companies. It's to supply prime attraction for each big and kid successful America."

Ocasio-Cortez called connected Central California lawmakers to instrumentality action.

"So, you each cognize what that means. We indispensable commencement moving close present to springiness David Valadao the boot, and regenerate him with a brawling politician who volition basal up for the moving radical of this community," said Ocasio-Cortez.

Valadao reacted to the remark successful a connection to Action News, writing:

"The enactment of AOC and Bernie Sanders ignored the needs of the Valley for the past 4 years. Their lone reply to immoderate occupation is to get much and walk more, and the result was grounds inflation, higher vigor costs, and lodging becoming adjacent much retired of scope for Valley families. While out-of-touch, out-of-town socialists proceed to usage the Central Valley arsenic a backdrop for their governmental stunts, I'll support warring to present existent results for my constituents."

Members and leaders of the United Farm Workers besides spoke during the event.

"The workplace idiosyncratic national is warring back; we are suing the borderline patrol," said UFW President Teresa Romero.

One subordinate shared however her bare hands person helped provender America, arsenic she has been moving successful the fields for the past 20 years.

Across the thoroughfare from the event, Bakersfield's Republican Party showed up successful enactment of President Donald Trump.

"I benignant of find it ironic that Bernie Sanders and AOC are present talking astir oligarchy. Bernie Sanders is simply a multi-millionaire," said Darren Amos with the Greater Bakersfield Republican Assembly.

Former Republican Congresswoman Connie Conway besides weighed successful connected the event.

"It's a manufactured narrative. It's the aforesaid happening Bernie Sanders has been saying since the 90s implicit and implicit again," said Conway.

The circuit volition proceed successful Folsom, California, connected Tuesday evening.

It volition wrapper up connected Wednesday successful Missoula, Montana.

For quality updates, travel Kassandra Gutierrez connected Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.