Bernie Sanders rally at Old Water Tower Place draws hundreds

Bernie Sanders supporters totaling in the hundreds hosted a rally Saturday at Chicago’s Old Water Tower Place in support of the presidential candidate.

Socialists Alternative, a national organization, organized the rally, which began Saturday afternoon at Daley Plaza. Carrying signs and chanting the name of their candidate, the supporters marched to Old Water Tower at Michigan Avenue and Chicago Avenue.

Sanders was in South Carolina Saturday for the Democratic Primary. The Vermont senator lost badly to front-runner Hillary Clinton, tallying 26 percent to Clinton’s roughly 70 percent of the vote.

Though his support wasn’t strong in South Carolina as votes came in late Saturday, Sanders’ Chicago supporters hours earlier were unwavering.

“I’m here for Bernie Sanders,” said Patricia Jones Washington, a retired Chicago nurse. “I’m getting Social Security now, and when I heard about Republicans wanting to cut Social Security and other programs our seniors rely on, I knew I was going to campaign for Bernie Sanders.”

Theresa Powers, an organizer with Socialists Alternative, said her organization support is  working to get Sanders’ message out.

Powers, 23, and other supporters echoed Sanders’ call in tackling America’s income disparity between the very rich and middle class, and poor Americans.

“The 1 percent has held on to the majority of money for far too long. If Bernie Sanders becomes president, we can guarantee that everybody has everything that they deserve,” Powers said.

Supporters will have a second chance in two weeks to rally their troops. The Democratic and Republican primaries are March 15 for Illinois.