Bernie supporters march through campus
Students and organizers of the Bernie Sanders rally march through campus on Monday, March 2, 2020. (Saylor Nedelman / Golden Gate Xpress)
March 4, 2020
Supporters of Bernie Sanders marched through campus yesterday to encourage others to vote for the Vermont senator.
The group of approximately 25 met at Malcolm X Plaza where several students spoke on their reasons for supporting Sanders, including the co-chairs of SF State’s Young Democratic Socialists of America, who have endorsed him.
“Like many of you, I’m angry. I think every day I’m more angry,” said Isabella Martinez-Bernal, one of the YDSA co-chairs, from the stone stage in front of the Cesar Chavez Student Center.
“It was him or Warren,” said Cade Crowell, the other chair. “Warren calls herself a capitalist… Bernie describes himself as a socialist. His policies are more universal, he wants to cancel all student debt when Warren only wants to cancel some student debt.”
Sanders has called for a complete cancellation of all student loan debt, totaling $1.6 trillion, according to The Institute for College Access and Success. Warren’s plan would cancel up to $50,000 of debt for every individual with a household income under $100,000, per her campaign website.
Attendees held signs reading Tribal nations for Bernie, Unidos con Bernie (Spanish for United with Bernie) and Eat the Rich.
With signs in hand and a large Bernie 2020 banner across the front, the crowd walked to the Towers Conference Center, which has been operating as a voting center since early voting began on Feb. 29. French major, Jake Hoiseth led them in chants.
Hoiseth’s voice boomed “college,” “medicare” and “jobs,” and the crowd responded, “for all” to each.
Sanders currently leads the Democratic primary race in delegates, and most polls predict that Sanders will win California by a significant margin. As of Mar. 1, FiveThirtyEight had Sanders in first with 34% and Biden in second with 20%.
Joe Biden, currently close behind Sanders in several national polls, won the South Carolina contest in a landslide, due in large part to his popularity among people of color. However, this support does not seem to carry over to the SF State employees. Biden received only $300 from campus employees, all coming from only one donor.
While Warren raised the most funds from SF State employees, Sanders has almost twice as many individual donors and more than twice as many individual donations. 
