More than 100 of his local supporters gathered outside Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan's office this morning as Jose Miranda, campaign coordinator for Arizona for Bernie Sanders, and other leaders went inside and filed the paperwork.
Miranda called the big turnout "pretty impressive," particularly because it was during typical work hours, and added it should come as no surprise since "the campaign is all about volunteers, supporters — it's about the people."
"Arizona is officially feeling the Bern," Arizona State University student and Sanders supporter Belen Sisa tells New Times.
"We were we told from the Secretary of States office that this was the biggest group they have seen filing for a candidate. [This shows that] other candidates might have the money, but we have the people power, and we are ready to work to get Senator Bernie Sanders elected as our next president of the United States."
Three state legislators also announced their endorsements of Sanders this morning: Juan Mendez, Mark Cardenas, and Martín Quezada. (Arizona Congressman Raúl Grijalva gave Sanders his first Congressional endorsement in early October.)
"I don't want to just elect a progressive president. I want to do progressive things," Mendez told the crowd after the paperwork had been filed.
The Arizona presidential primary is scheduled for March 22, and voters must be registered with a party by February 22 to be eligible to vote in its primary.
So far, these are the candidates set to appear on the ballot:
- Democratic Party: Sanders, Hillary Clinton, and Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente.
- Republican Party: Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, Chris Christie, Donald Trump, Rick Santorum, Carly Fiorina, John Kasich, and Lindsey Graham.
