Hundreds pack NAU hall to hear Bernie Sanders rally for Hillary Clinton

Bernie Sanders brought his call for a “political revolution” to hundreds of voters who packed a Northern Arizona University auditorium to hear him make the case for his former rival Hillary Clinton.

The crowd was dominated by millennials, a generation that flocked to Sanders' presidential campaign, but also included professors and older residents from nearby towns and the Navajo Nation.

The capacity crowd filled about 900 seats, and others sat on the floor and stood in single-file lines along the walls to hear the U.S. senator from Vermont call for an end to a government beholden to billionaire financiers, and one that instead answers to everyday Americans. Many more people gathered outside in the autumn weather.

Before Sanders took the stage, supporters chanted, "Hill-Yes! Hill-Yes!" and "Feel the Bern! Feel the Bern!"

During his roughly 40-minute speech, Sanders sought to convince voters still uncomfortable with Clinton that the former secretary of State is the only one who can move the nation forward. Much of his remarks drew from his stump speech.

Sanders told the crowd to urge their friends and family who are disillusioned with politics to turn out to the polls given the enormous consequence of the election.

“Arizona is one of the battleground states and we can win here if voter turnout is high,” he said. “If young people, if working people, if senior citizens come out to vote, we can win here.”

Sanders led the wave of Clinton heavyweights who are swinging through Arizona this week to capitalize on the state’s newfound battleground-state status.

Chelsea Clinton and first lady Michelle Obama are also expected to campaign for Hillary Clinton this week, and the campaign is pouring millions of dollars into Arizona, a sign Democrats think they can tip the race in their favor. A Democratic presidential candidate hasn't won Arizona since then-President Bill Clinton did it in 1996.

Sanders took the stage about 2:30 p.m. and was scheduled to rally in Tucson at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Recent polls suggest Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is floundering with Arizona voters in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct and a leaked tape in which he admitted to “groping” women without their consent. Trump has said he has never acted inappropriately with women.

Sanders took aim at Trump early in his remarks, saying Trump is the “least qualified” candidate in U.S. history in part because he “objectifies women” and “boasts — boasts about sexual assault.”

“Women have struggled for too many years,” Sanders said to a cheering crowd, “… to elect a president like that.”

Many in the crowd waved Clinton campaign signs that read “Women Together.”

Sanders added, “Electing Donald Trump as president would be a disaster for this country.”

The crowd hooped and hollered in agreement.

Midway through Sanders' speech, a screaming protester was dragged out.

Throughout his remarks, Sanders hit on themes popular with young voters and left-leaning Democrats.

He advocated for increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour and plugged Clinton’s plan to make public universities tuition-free for working families. At the same time, he said under a Clinton presidency, the nation's "corrupt tax system" would be reformed and wealthy Americans like Trump "are going to start paying their fair share."

Remarks that drew some of the loudest cheers were his promises to the crowd that Clinton would confront climate change, overhaul the nation’s immigration system, and overturn the “disastrous” Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. The 2010 case paved the way for unlimited and anonymous political spending.

“She has promised that no nominee of hers to the Supreme Court will get that position unless he or she makes it crystal clear that they will vote to overturn Citizens United,” he shouted to a cheering crowd.

About a dozen voters lamented to The Arizona Republic that Sanders was not their party's nominee. But they said he had helped motivate them to vote for Clinton in an effort to deny Trump the presidency.

Julia Orchutt, an 18-year-old student from Mesa, voted for Sanders during the presidential-preference election. She said she flocked to Prochnow Auditorim for a pick-me-up.

“I’ve kind of been down lately because of all of this stuff with Trump, and it’s just kind of discouraging as a young voter,” Orchutt said. “It was nice to get some encouragement — it feels great, actually.”

She said Sanders’ remarks inspired her and reinforced her resolve to cast a vote for Clinton.

“I’m walking away feeling better,” she said. “There used to be a huge divide between the Bernie and Hillary supporters and it’s nice to see that he’s unifying the party. I’m definitely feeling better.”

Emily Newell, a theater major, said she wished she could cast her vote for Sanders.

“I wish he could be president, but Hillary’s going to be cool, too,” said Newell, 20. “I’m not voting for Trump, like no (expletive) way.

“Hearing that they agree on a lot of things was cool, and hearing about her stance on stuff was cool. It was really graceful for him to use his power to support someone else.”

Follow the reporter on Twitter and Facebook. Reach her at yvonne.wingett@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4712.