2020 Dems flood into Nevada for forum, campaign events

Las Vegas Review-Journal

5 years ago

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during Local Brews and ... — Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during Local Brews and National Views hosted by the Nevada Democrats on Saturday, July 20, 2019, at Place on 7th, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., gives a speech on his "Medicare for All" proposal, Wednesday, July 17, 2019, at George Washington University in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks during a campaign rally at East Las Vegas Community Center in Las Vegas on Tuesday, July 2, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., a Democratic presidential hopeful, greets workers on strike in a march for higher minimum wage outside of McDonald’s in Las Vegas on Friday, June 14, 2019.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., serves pancakes while attending a breakfast held by the Rotary Club of Boulder City ahead of the annual Damboree Celebration on Thursday, July 4, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

At least 19 Democratic presidential candidates will be in Las Vegas on Saturday for a forum hosted by the country’s largest union of public employees, with several of the 2020 hopefuls planning to host additional public events throughout the week.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and media partner Huffington Post will host the forum from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on the second floor of UNLV’s student union building. The Huffington Post will also livestream the event.

The attendee list includes former Vice President Joe Biden; Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar and Cory Booker; former Rep. Beto O’Rourke; South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro.

Each candidate will answer a series of questions during a 15-minute time slot. They will not be on stage at the same time, according to event organizers.

The forum comes just days after the second wave of national debates, hosted by CNN in Detroit.

Some of the forum’s participants also are looking to do a little campaigning during their Nevada visit.

O’Rourke will hold a town hall in east Las Vegas on Thursday, and similar events in Minden and Reno are scheduled for Saturday.

Warren and Castro will hold events in Las Vegas and surrounding areas Friday.

Biden will speak in Henderson and Las Vegas on Saturday.

Harris and author Marianne Williamson are hosting events on Saturday evening and Sunday morning.

The campaigns for Buttigieg, Booker and Sanders also are planning additional events for the weekend.

Nevada State Democratic Party Chair William McCurdy II said the state remains “wide open” for these Democratic candidates, whom he will continue to encourage to visit.

“Nevada will play a pivotal role in the 2020 Democratic presidential nominating process,” McCurdy said. “We are the first Western state, the only early battleground state and the first diverse state to make its voice heard. It couldn’t be more crucial for candidates to share their plan with Nevadans, to come often and to build a statewide operation.”

Contact Rory Appleton at rappleton@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0276. Follow @RoryDoesPhonics on Twitter.