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WILKES-BARRE — A Bernie Sanders T-shirt. A “Pete” campaign button. Muffled laughter as pleas of “time!” were ignored.
The second Democratic presidential debate was held on Tuesday night, and a crowd of voters and public figures gathered at Rodano’s to watch the debate and cheer along as their preferred candidate took the stage.
Around 50 people packed the back room of the popular Wilkes-Barre restaurant/bar to take in the debate among fellow Democratic voters, all itching to see what the future of the party has in store.
“I’m here to meet with friends and get excited about the presidential election,” said Ben Caruso, a lifelong Democrat and outspoken critic of President Donald Trump.
“It’s going to be a great opportunity for us to save America from this terrible situation in the White House.”
John Pekarovsky, chair of the Luzerne County Democratic Party, was pleased with the turnout.
“We wanted to have an event to get people out and interested in the presidential election,” Pekarovsky said. “We’re hoping to foster new relationships and bring the party back to where it was.”
The biggest cheers of the night came for Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts as she made her way onto the stage. The crowd also applauded for Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, two more of the frontrunners for the crowded race for the 2020 Democratic presidential nod.
The candidates debated a wide variety of topics that appeal to most voters, including the economy, health care, immigration reform and gun control.
“Obviously and always, the economy is No. 1,” said Dave Sosar, a former Hazleton City councilman. Sosar recently switched out of the Democratic party, which he says made it easier for him to run back in his days as councilman.
“I ran as a Democrat for the last 10 years, but for me party isn’t important. I switched basically because of local politics … it was easier for me to run as a Democrat when I was running.”
Pekarovsky echoed Sosar’s sentiment about the economy, adding that “job creation” was a huge part of the issues that were important to him.
The crowd was very receptive to most everything that the candidates had to say, particularly when it came at the expense of Trump and the Republican party, who have alienated a large portion of voters with divisive rhetoric.
In her opening statement, Warren nailed home the point that “we are the Democrats…we are not the party that’s trying to take away health care. That’s what the Republicans do,” to a raucous ovation from the crowd.
Buttigieg also drew a response with his line, “It’s time to stop worrying about what Republicans have to say.”
For many voters, the issue at hand is simple: stop Trump, and take back the White House.
“We have to come together and win,” Caruso said. “Beating him is the one and only issue in this election.
“Democracy is at stake.”