Sen. Bernie Sanders returned to his home in Brooklyn Friday afternoon, holding a rally outside his family’s former apartment building in Midwood.
“I spent the first 18 years of my life in apartment 2C,” Sanders said pointing to the building behind him. “This was a great community to grow up in.”
Sanders received cheers from the crowd, which filled part of East 26th Street between Kings Highway and Avenue P, when he spoke about fixing the country’s “broken criminal justice system,” winning the fight for a $15 minimum wage, providing health care for everyone and addressing climate change.
The Vermont senator, who has won six of the last seven primaries and caucuses, said winning the New York primary on April 19 will keep his momentum going.
“We can win this primary,” he said. “New York will help us make it to the White House.”
He still trails behind his opponent Hillary Clinton by almost 700 delegates. Recent polls also show Clinton, who was a senator for the state for eight years, leading among likely Democratic voters.
Sanders was introduced at the rally by actor Mark Ruffalo, who encouraged the crowd to not be afraid to vote for dreams.
“He’s a dreamer, but his dreams become reality,” Ruffalo said. He criticized incrementalism as the reason for the status quo.
“Bernie’s our man,” Ruffalo said.
Sanders will hold a second rally on Friday around 5 p.m. at WNYC Transmitter Park on Greenpoint Avenue. Entry to the rally began at 3 p.m.
