Bernie Sanders to hold rally in Idaho

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Published at 6:30 pm, April 9, 2025 | Updated at 6:49 pm, April 9, 2025

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, is holding a rally in Nampa on April 14. | Courtesy Idaho Democratic Party

NAMPA – Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, is concerned about the country’s direction under President Donald Trump’s leadership, and he wants Idahoans to know about it.

The former presidential candidate is holding a rally at the Ford Center at 16200 North Idaho Center Boulevard in Nampa on April 14. It’s part of his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour.

“Over the course of the next few weeks, I’ll be hitting the road to have real discussions across America on how we move forward to take on the Oligarchs and corporate interests who have so much power and influence in this country,” Sanders says on his website.

Accompanying him on the nationwide tour is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, and Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas. Lauren Necochea, chairwoman of the Idaho Democratic Party — which is helping to spread word about the event — says Sanders is the only speaker on the program for the rally in Idaho.

Necochea is encouraging Idaho voters to attend the rally.

“This is a chance for Idahoans to come together and express our opposition to what’s happening,” Necochea tells EastIdahoNews.com.

With the Democratic brand underwater, it has been Sanders – one of the most recognizable faces of the progressive movement – who has drawn thousands of supporters to rallies across the country with his longtime warnings against the “billionaire class.” The Vermont senator, a self-described democratic socialist, told the New York Times last month that one of the goals of his tour was to encourage people to run for office – as independents.

Necochea, who stepped down as a state legislator in December, also has concerns about the country’s direction under Trump’s leadership. She cites several examples, including “the refusal of Republican members of Congress to hold town halls,” along with a perceived threat of senior citizens losing access to Social Security and Medicare.

She’s worried about a “ripple effect” of these actions negatively impacting Idaho.

“We’re watching our economy in a free fall from an incoherent tariff policy,” Necochea says. “Programs funded by Congress through our lawful procedures are being gutted illegally and unilaterally by the executive branch. This is all unprecedented and it’s of deep concern.”

Lauren Necochea was elected chair of the Idaho Democratic Party in March 2022. | Courtesy Idaho Democratic Party

Rep. Mike Simpson and Sen. Mike Crapo, both Republican members of Idaho’s Congressional delegation, addressed many of these issues in an interview with EastIdahoNews.com last month.

While their opinions of President Trump’s approach in the first few months are mixed, both agree that massive cuts in government bureaucracy are exactly what voters wanted. They say Congress has no intention of cutting off Social Security or Medicare benefits and they’re hopeful that the tariffs — though painful initially — will be beneficial in the long run.

When it comes to town halls, neither of them have held them recently because, they said, many people who attend just want to attack Trump for media attention, rather than discuss issues. They said they remained engaged with voters through their offices in Idaho Falls and Washington.

Still, Necochea says many voters who watch the news remain concerned and she hopes Sanders’ rally in Nampa will resonate.

It’s free and open to anyone. The doors will open at 3:30 p.m. and it will start at 6 p.m. Built to Spill, an indie rock band based in Boise, will perform at 5 p.m. Those who’d like to attend are encouraged to RSVP here.

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Source: www.eastidahonews.com

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