U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, shown speaking in Tempe, Arizona, on March 20, 2025 at a “Fight Oligarchy” rally, will speak at three events in West Virginia Aug. 8 and 9. (Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror)
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, a one-time candidate for president, will bring his “Fighting Oligarchy: Where We Go From Here” speaking event tour to three West Virginia locations next weekend.
Sanders will speak in Wheeling Friday, Aug. 8 and in Mingo County and Charleston on Saturday, Aug. 9.
Sanders’ website describes the tour as “real discussions across America on how we move forward to take on the Oligarchs and corporate interests who have so much power and influence in this country.
The tour will target “deep red” districts held by Republicans, including West Virginia and North Carolina, according to a news release.
“Red state, blue state — the people of this country are opposed to an economy that works for the 1% and not for working class Americans.” Sanders said in a news release. “I’ll be heading to West Virginia and North Carolina to discuss the need for decent paying jobs, health care for all, and the end of a corrupt campaign finance system in which billionaires buy politicians. Together, we can defeat the oligarchs who have taken hold of our country.”
Sanders ran for president as a Democrat in 2016, losing in the primary to Hillary Clinton.
He won the Democratic primary that year in every county in West Virginia, the West Virginia Democratic Party noted in a news release Thursday. The party said they welcome Sanders to the state, calling the visit a reminder of what public service should look like.
“While Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, Sen. Jim Justice, Congressman Riley Moore, and Congresswoman Carol Miller continue to avoid public town halls and shield themselves from accountability, Senator Sanders is once again doing what they refuse to do: meeting directly with the people of West Virginia,” they said in the statement. “We are thankful for his continued advocacy on many issues, especially on behalf of health care access, a strong and solvent Social Security system, quality public education and most importantly, reducing the influence of money in politics.
“While perspectives may vary on some of Senator Sanders’ positions, his commitment to economic fairness and opportunity resonates deeply with West Virginians,” they wrote.
Event details
Wheeling
6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8, at the Capitol Theatre, 1015 Main Street in Wheeling. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. Parking is available on the street and in nearby surface lots. Tickets are not required, but an RSVP is encouraged.
Mingo County
1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9 at the Lenore Community Center, 19 Laurel Creek Road in Lenore. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. ET. Free parking is available onsite. Tickets are not required, but an RSVP is encouraged.
Charleston
6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9 at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center, 200 Civic Center Drive in Charleston. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. ET. Free parking available onsite. Tickets are not required, but an RSVP is encouraged.
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