Clinton stumps across Chicago, Sanders holds late-night rally
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Illinois primary is Tuesday, March 15, and presidential candidates are in town working to win over Illinois voters. The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton attended several events in Chicago Monday, while Bernie Sanders has a late-night rally planned at Roosevelt University.
A week ago, the Clinton campaign had Illinois - the candidate's home state - safely in its win column. But after Sanders' big win in Michigan last week, Clinton is taking nothing for granted.
"I am very excited about being back in Chicago," Clinton said this morning, where she was cheered by hundreds at the Plumbers Union Hall on the Near West Side - her second visit to the area since last Thursday.
"I'm about the same age as her and I did not know that there would be a woman president in my lifetime, and I think it's going to happen," said Christine Johnson, a Clinton supporter.
Earlier, the former Secretary of State appeared at a Pilsen not-for-profit where she promised to work for immigration reform. On the South Side, she made a 20-minute stop at the Kids Off the Block memorial to children killed in gun violence in the Roseland neighborhood.
"Every mother you see here works so hard to protect her child, and yet we allow this epidemic of gun violence to stalk our streets, our playgrounds," Clinton said.
The former first lady's final stop was at the bakery workers' union hall at 79th and Kedzie, opposite the Nabisco plant. Worker Hilda Munoz said she hopes a President Hillary Clinton could help do something to stop her employer from moving 600 jobs to Mexico.
"I just asked her if she could help us out, if she could help us keep our jobs in Chicago. And she said she was with the union in there, and she said 'Absolutely, I'm here to help you guys out.' Let's hope it's true," Munoz said.
The latest polls on the Democratic primary race suggest that Bernie Sanders is surging in Illinois with one survey showing the Vermont senator now in a virtual tie with Clinton.
Clinton left Chicago Monday afternoon to hold a town hall meeting in Springfield before flying to North Carolina for a campaign event Monday night.
SANDERS HOLDS LATE-NIGHT RALLY IN CHICAGO
Bernie Sanders hopes to energize voters in Chicago before they go to bed Monday night. A rally is planned for 10:30 p.m. at Roosevelt University, where supporters began lining up mid-afternoon. Police have shut down Wabash between Van Buren and Congress for crowd control.
"Look at this crowd! I think that says it all!" Sanders supporter Christian Juarbe said.
Before coming to Chicago, Sanders began his day in Ohio, where he sharpened his message aimed at blue-collar workers.
"It is a rigged economy. And what a rigged economy means is that the average American today is working longer hours for lower wages while almost all new income and wealth is going to the top one-percent. That is a rigged economy," Sanders said.
The Vermont senator is riding a wave of momentum heading into Tuesday's primaries following his upset victory over Hillary Clinton in Michigan last week.
In recent days, Sanders has been running an ad highlighting Hillary Clinton's past ties to Rahm Emanuel. Sanders hoping to rally black voters who may be upset with the mayor.
ABC7 spoke with Sanders' wife, who says her husband is feeling good about his chances in Illinois.
"It looks good. It's a very tight race, and what we need is a high voter turnout. It seems that the more people vote, the better Bernie does," Jane Sanders said.
Doors opened for Sanders' rally at the Auditorium Theater at Roosevelt University at 8:30 p.m. Shortly after 9 p.m., the Sanders campaign said there were no remaining tickets for the event, Chicago police said in a tweet.
Sanders is ending his day in Chicago after holding four other rallies Monday in St. Louis, North Carolina, and Ohio.
