U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez concluded their 15 state ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ tour in Missoula Wednesday.
“Brothers and sisters, we are tired of being oppressed," Sanders exclaimed to a cheering crowd.
Sen.Sanders and Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Wednesday repeatedly hit on populist themes of income inequality and class struggle.
Their blistering indictments of Trump Administration policies found an appreciative audience in Missoula. Those policies include mass layoffs of federal workers as well as elimination of climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
An estimated 8,000 people packed into the University of Montana’s Adams Center to listen to Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez. Another thousand gathered outside but couldn’t make it into the arena.
Sanders told the crowd, "We believe in Democracy, not authoritarianism. We believe in an economy that works for all, not just for [Elon] Musk and his fellow billionaires. Brothers and sisters, let’s stand together. Let’s go forward. Let us win this struggle.”
Sanders tells Montana Public Radio goals of the tour include spurring grassroots movements and political organizing in districts seen as flippable by some.
Ocasio-Cortez urged the audience to reject division and partisan labels in favor of class solidarity. She said America’s institutions and politicians aren’t the only ones trying to uphold democracy.
"It will always be the people, the masses, who refuse to comply with authoritarian regimes, who are our last and strongest defense of our country and our freedoms."
Ocasio-Cortez vowed that the Trump Administration’s opponents are in the fight for the long haul.
“Because we are here for the school boards and the community associations. We’re here for the small business groups and the town councils, for public arts and gestures of inclusion. And we will build from there."
Paul Pope is a political science professor at MSU-Billings. Pope says the tour was an unconventional effort standing in stark contrast to mainstream Democrats’ watching and hoping Republicans hurt themselves enough before next year’s midterm election.
"We see AOC and we see Bernie who are both unabashed socialists — I would say more the libertarian flavor of socialist — are out there talking to the people about the most important issues, generally economic issues, that are affecting their lives based on the decisions of the President of the United States and Elon Musk as well," Pope says.
Montana’s Republican U.S. Senators, Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy used Wednesday’s rally as a fundraising opportunity. They deployed an email saying in part, "Thousands of radical activists and extremists are going to flood into Montana to rally behind Bernie and AOC’s radical agenda. Their message is clear — Montana is on their 2026 target list!” The email then urged supporters to send money to keep Montana in Republican hands.
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Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders brought his Fighting Oligarchy tour to Missoula on Wednesday. Around 9,000 people filled the University of Montana Adams Center and overflowed outside. Montana Public Radio’s Edward O'Brien spoke with the Senator after his speech.
Rally-goers in Missoula speak out against a wide range of Trump policies
Thousands of people lined up on the University of Montana Campus Wednesday to attend Vermont U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders' "Fighting Oligarchy" tour. MTPR’s Ellis Juhlin spoke with attendees outside the rally.
Three lines of rally-goers converged on the University of Montana’s Adams Center’s doors Wednesday morning. They expressed broad concerns over the fast paced changes under the Trump Administration.
Cate Genshaw drove in from Hamilton.
"I'm a mother, I'm a woman, I'm a school teacher. Everything that's going on in the world seems to be attacking everything that I am," she said.
Cynthia Davenport drove in with two friends from Deer Lodge, they left at 8 a.m. to be sure to get a spot in the arena.
"I care about the future for my children and grandchildren," Davenport said. "I care about our environment, where now they're saying, 'oh, it's okay to pour all this coal into our atmosphere, and we don't care how much glyphosate we're pouring on our soil.'"
Her friend, Sheila Thompson said she’s most concerned by the layoffs that have been happening at federal land management agencies.
"My husband was a wildland firefighter for 36 years and fought fire all over this country. And my daughter works federally. And I'm very troubled, on top of everything Cynthia said, that they're gutting these federal programs which help the common person, and these federal workers care so much."
When asked what they’d like to see from elected leaders, Davenport said she would like to actually see Montana’s leaders.
"Where are you, Zinke? Where are you, Daines? Where are you, Sheehy? You're missing. You are wanted. We need to speak to you. Where are you?"
Other attendees, like Butte resident Butch Gerbrandt said the Trump Administration’s immigration policies are on the forefront of his mind, and hitting close to home.
"In Butte, we have an organization called Butte Heart, and we welcome Afghan refugees to Butte. And we have two families there now. We just received a third family, and now it looks like we're going to kick them out. That's, that's very concerning to me, maybe number 1 right now."
More than 8,000 people attended the rally.
