Bernie Sanders Rallies in San Diego

Sanders rallied at Kimball Park in National City on Saturday and will speak at the stadium at Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista on Sunday

U.S. Senator and Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders took his campaign to San Diego Saturday, holding a rally in National City ahead of California’s June 7 primary.

Before taking the podium at his rally at Kimball Park, Sanders enlisted the help of actor and comedian George Lopez to warm up the crowd.

"As I look out at all these faces - this is America. It is diverse," Lopez said to fellow Sanders supporters. "This is the United States of America where they speak English, y tambien se habla español."

At around 7:30 p.m., Sanders spoke in front of a large group of supporters at the park.

"Whoa, there are a lot of people here," Sanders said when he approached the podium. "I'm running for president because in the wealthiest nation in the history of the world too many people are living in poverty." 

The Democrat touched on many topics, including the disappearing middle class and high unemployment numbers and said, "We need a massive federal jobs program to put our people back to work at decent wages."

Sanders also discussed billionaires and corporations who stash money overseas to avoid paying taxes. "Together we are going to change that, and the billionaires and the corporations are going to start paying their fair share of taxes."

Speaking about what he called a "broken criminal justice system" he said, "I want this country to have the best educated population on earth, not to be the country that has more people in jail." 

He also touched on universal health care, free college, the legalization of marijuana and climate change. 

He briefly mentioned de facto GOP nominee Donald Trump, reminding supporters of his leadership in the birther movement and describing him as a person who often lies and changes his positions. 

Sanders supporters filed into Saturday's rally hours before Sanders arrived.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I had other things to do but I changed them all because I want to be here,” Victor Colmenero, who lives across the street from Kimball Park, told NBC 7. 

Victoria Estrella lives in Encanto. She expected the crowd at the rally to be very diverse.

When asked about the rally taking place in National City, she said, “I think it shows he cares. He really cares about the working people that society forgets about. That don’t really count in a lot of eyes.”

Sanders will stay in San Diego through Sunday.

He has another rally planned for 2 p.m. in Vista Sunday, at Rancho Buena Vista High School’s stadium located at 1601 Longhorn Dr. The doors open at 11 a.m.

According to Sanders’ campaign website, the U.S. Senator will make his way north to Irvine, California, on Sunday, too, holding another rally at 6 p.m. at Irvine Meadows Amphitheater.

Hillary Clinton's campaign also hit San Diego Saturday, with Bill Clinton rallying at Bonita Vista High School and The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe.

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