Sanders, Perez aim to unify Democrats during Las Vegas speech

Bernie Sanders has a progressive message and he’s sticking to it. And Saturday, as he echoed themes from his 2016 presidential run, the Vermont senator worked to show that his progressive supporters and the Democratic Party are on the same side — against Donald Trump.

Sanders, an independent senator, shared the stage Saturday at the Cox Pavilion with Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez, addressing a crowd of what organizers numbered at more than 1,200.

The duo’s “Come Together and Fight Back” tour stopped in eight traditional swing states and worked to unify Democrats and resistance to the Trump administration.

“It seems to me that we have got to rethink the model of the Democratic Party,” Sanders said. “We need a party that is functioning not just on the East Coast and the West Coast, but in every state in this country.”

Democrats did well in Nevada last November. The party seized control of the state Senate and Assembly. Nevada made its mark in Congress, too — Ruben Kihuen was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and Catherine Cortez Masto was elected to the U.S. Senate. Perez said he wanted to take those organizing tactics national for the midterm election.

“I am also acutely aware of the fact that we have work to do as a Democratic Party to earn your trust,” Perez said.

In his 25-minute speech, Sanders hit on topics familiar from his presidential run — free college, pay equity for women, raising the minimum wage, reducing the influence of money in politics, reforming the criminal justice system, instituting Medicare for all and reducing income inequality.

“Our job together is to stand up, to fight back and create an economy that works for all of us,” Sanders said.

Sanders said the top one-tenth of 1 percent having as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent is as much a moral issue as it is an economic one.

“Is that what America is about?” he asked the crowd.

Sanders stressed the importance of the party opening its doors to young people and working-class people, and targeting local elections.

“At the end of the day, people are not going to come in unless we have a progressive agenda,” he said.

Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, also saw stage time Saturday to argue for the clinic and women’s reproductive rights.

Joseph Burns, who attended the speech with his wife, Mary, said he liked Sanders’ ideas but expressed concern for how his proposals would be funded.

“I think he shoots high to motivate people because we’re going to have to compromise in the end,” Mary Burns said.

Speech attendees Javier Capristo and Kandice Upshur said the unity message stood out.

“I think the whole point is to just get everybody together and realize we’re all here on the same page and we’re all fighting the same battle,” Upshur said.

About 10 people gathered outside the pavilion Saturday morning were in a different battle — to promote conservative values.

Jacob Deaville, president of UNLV’s College Republicans, said he helped organize the demonstration to support Trump and show that opposing sides can respectfully disagree on big issues.

“We believe that people succeed on their own work, the sweat of their backs the sweat of their brow,” Deaville said. “That no one’s entitled and that we need to allow the individual economic freedom and not subjugate them to a system of government control and industry.”

Tea party activist Victor Wolder said he helped organize the protest to stand against socialism.

“Well, basically,” he said, “they’re for free stuff and we’re for freedom.”

Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.