Nearly 20 Bernie Sanders supporters stood on the grassy knoll on the corner of State Road 46 and Third Street on Saturday night and held posters and wooden signs spelling Bernie with LED lights. The group gathered for an event organized by Sanders’ local campaign office.
Supporters from Bloomington and Illinois stood on the hill as cars zooming through the intersection honked as they passed, which ignited a cheer from the supporters. A young man hanging out of the backside passenger window pounded on his car door as he sped down the road.
Local campaign volunteer Jessica Martlage organized the small rally after she was contacted by an Illinois campaign volunteer, she said.
Martlage, who has volunteered for the campaign since last May, said she supports Sanders because he is the only candidate talking about corruption within American politics.
“He’s the only politician that’s speaking the truth about just how corrupt the system is and how we do need to get big money out of politics to make it a fair democracy,” she said.
The lighted signs at the event are an offshoot of a political advertising campaign called the Bernie Light Brigade. According to its website, the project was created by the founders of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, who sought to turn Sanders’ supporters into “walking, glowing billboards.”
Since its inception, tens of signs have been used at events across the nation through its partnership with Grassroots for Sanders. The signs are available for purchase through Etsy.
Cook Medical employee Christian Paulay said he drove past the lighted signs and decided to join the supporters. After having to support the lesser of two evils in previous campaigns, Paulay said he wants to let others know the public doesn’t have to settle in choosing a candidate.
“I want to send a message that not all presidents have to be cookie cutters,” he said. “And I want to see a lot more, more left-leaning people here in Bloomington and the United States. I want to see them stop thinking that the little man can’t win. I want to see them start thinking that we can make a difference.”
On April 24, a CBS poll found nominee Hillary Clinton leads Sanders by 5 percent among likely Democratic voters in the state.
However, taking into account the margin of error, the candidates are virtually tied going into the final week before the primary May 3.
The white, red and green fluorescence of the overhead stoplights and car headlights illuminated the supporters’ faces as more honks of approval acknowledged their presence.
Dave Simcox, a retired corporate manager and volunteer for the Sanders campaign, said the diversity and zeal of the people at the event is a testament to how Sanders’ message is resonating with the public.
“People of all ages support him because, whether you’re young or old, we all recognize that he’s the only hope we got,” he said.
