A group of supporters gathered in the Union Hall in downtown Missoula on Sunday evening to declare their support for Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

Former Democratic Senatorial candidate Amanda Curtis helped to organize the event, and even though she could not attend personally, she told KGVO News why she stands behind Bernie Sanders for President.

"Bernie Sanders is a very authentic individual who has been willing to stand up to corporations and say that regular working folks like you and I do not think that corporations have the same rights as people," Curtis said. "Because I had a lot of folks just like that behind me in my Senate campaign, I know they'll probably like Bernie Sanders."

One of the ideas put forth by Vermont Senator Sanders is that of free education all the way through college. Curtis said student debt is a reality she's been living with for many years.

"I have been out of college now for about 15 years, and I'm about half-way through my $30,000 of student debt," Curtis said. "It's an investment we make in ourselves, but student debt really prevents us from starting a business, buying a home or a car, or getting started with life. The families of college students burdened with debt should probably be those who are behind Bernie Sanders."

Curtis said Sanders taps into the average voter's lack of enthusiasm over the present state of national politics.

"I know that every single person who is listening to this is disgruntled with politics as usual, and I definitely think Bernie Sanders presents something very unusual in politics," she said. "He's something we haven't seen in a very long time."

According to Sanders' website, the issues most of concern to him include income and wealth inequality, getting big money out of politics, and climate change and the environment.

 

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