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Fighting Oligarchy Tour

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Fighting Oligarchy Tour
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (left) and Bernie Sanders (right) on the tour at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona
DateFebruary 22, 2025 – present
LocationUnited States
TypePolitical rally tour
CauseOpposition to oligarchy and corporate influence in politics
ParticipantsBernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Shawn Fain, Greg Casar
Websiteberniesanders.com/fighting-oligarchy-tour

The Fighting Oligarchy Tour, sometimes subtitled Where We Go from Here,[1] is a series of American political rallies led by Independent[a] U.S. senator Bernie Sanders and Democratic U.S. representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. It began on February 21, 2025, in Omaha, Nebraska, with the stated goal of opposing oligarchy and the influence of billionaires and corporations in U.S. politics.[2] A section covering the western U.S. began on March 20 in Las Vegas, Nevada.[3] 34,000 people attended a rally on March 21 in Denver, Colorado, bigger than any event held by the Democratic Party at the time, and with a bigger audience than any during Sanders's two presidential campaigns. This was followed by a crowd of 36,000 in Los Angeles, California on April 12. The tour has featured speeches, musical performances, and efforts to promote policies such as universal healthcare and wealth taxation.

Background

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Sanders launched the tour after Donald Trump’s reelection in November 2024, which Sanders cited as evidence of growing corporate influence in governance.[4] Joined by Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive figures, Sanders aimed to address economic inequality and political power dynamics.[5]

Themes and messaging

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The tour focuses on opposition to oligarchy, characterized as a system where a small, wealthy elite holds significant sway over political and economic matters. Speakers address topics such as income disparity, corporate lobbying, and democratic integrity, advocating reforms including Medicare for All, a wealth tax, and changes to campaign finance laws.[6] The events also encourage grassroots participation in local and electoral efforts.[7] Other goals include transforming the Democratic Party to bring it closer to its "FDR-era roots" in an effort to make it more popular, and pressuring Republican lawmakers in battleground districts to reject Republican fiscal plans such as cuts to Medicaid and tax cuts for the wealthy.[5]

Tour stops

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders waving to the audience in Folsom, California on April 15, 2025
Date City Venue Attendees
February 21, 2025 Omaha, Nebraska Omaha Marriott Downtown at the Capitol District 2,500[2]
February 22, 2025 Iowa City, Iowa The Englert Theatre[8] 800[9]
March 7, 2025 Kenosha, Wisconsin University of Wisconsin–Parkside[10] 4,000[11]
March 8, 2025 Altoona, Wisconsin Altoona High School[12] 2,600[11]
March 8, 2025 Warren, Michigan Lincoln High School[13] 9,000[11]
March 20, 2025 North Las Vegas, Nevada Craig Ranch Regional Park 1,000[14]
March 20, 2025 Tempe, Arizona Mullett Arena 10,000[15]
March 21, 2025 Greeley, Colorado University of Northern Colorado 11,000[16]
March 21, 2025 Denver, Colorado Civic Center Park 34,000[16]
March 22, 2025 Tucson, Arizona Catalina High School 20,000[6]
April 12, 2025 Los Angeles, California Grand Park 36,000[17]
April 13, 2025 Salt Lake City, Utah Jon M. Huntsman Center 20,000[18]
April 14, 2025 Nampa, Idaho Ford Idaho Center 12,500[19]
April 15, 2025 Folsom, California Folsom Lake College 26,000[20]
April 15, 2025 Bakersfield, California Dignity Health Arena[21] 4,500[22]
April 16, 2025 Missoula, Montana Adams Center[23] 9,100
May 1, 2025 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia City Hall[24] 5,000[25]
May 2, 2025 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center[24] 3,000[26]
May 3, 2025 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Lehigh University[24] 5,000[27]

Coachella 2025 appearance

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On April 12, 2025, Sanders appeared on the Outdoor Stage at Coachella 2025 to introduce Clairo to a crowd of 36,000 people.[28]

Music

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Joey Burns of rock band Calexico performed at the Tempe rally on March 20.

Musical performances have accompanied many of the tour's rallies. Laura Jane Grace and duo Kinsella & Pulse LLC performed at the March 7 event in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and Poliça opened for the March 8 event in Altoona. During the March 8 rally in Warren, Michigan, hardcore punk band the Armed performed, beginning their set with a cover of the Stooges' "Search And Destroy".[29] Indie rock band Calexico introduced the March 22 event in Tucson.[6] Neil Young took the stage during the April 12 rally in Los Angeles, which also featured performances by Jeff Rosenstock, Dirty Projectors, Indigo De Souza, the Red Pears, and Raise Gospel Choir. Young led a "Take America Back" chant, then played his song "Rainbow of Colors" and a solo rendition of "Rockin' in the Free World" on electric guitar, accompanied by Joan Baez and Maggie Rogers.[30] Talia Keys and I Dont Know How But They Found Me played at the April 13 Salt Lake City rally.[31]

Reception

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As of April 12, 2025, the tour had drawn over 107,000 attendees across various states.[32] On March 26, Politico reported that the Fighting Oligarchy rallies were "bigger than any other events currently being held by Democrats" and that they were acting as a "revival" for progressives. Sanders said that two thirds of those who registered to attend the events had never gone to see him or donated to him before.[5] The crowd at the Denver rally was larger than at any event during his 2016 and 2020 presidential runs.[3] These numbers contrasted with low approval ratings for the Democratic Party.[5]

The tour facilitated grassroots organizing, including volunteer recruitment and support for progressive candidates.[33] Progressives supported the tour for engaging supporters and focusing on corporate influence, while media outlets, including The New York Times, observed similarities to historical protest movements such as Occupy Wall Street.[34]

Some establishment members of the Democratic Party supported the rallies, including those who had previously criticized Sanders; a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, Malcolm Kenyatta, said the rallies were "not left versus right. This is about "flight versus fight." Kenyatta had criticized Sanders in the past.[5]

References

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  1. ^ Clayton, Victoria (April 13, 2025). "Bernie Sanders rally in LA draws thousands to protest Trump: 'We can't just let this happen'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  2. ^ a b Reiff, Jamie (February 23, 2025). "Overflow Omaha crowd launches U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders' 'Fighting Oligarchy' tour". Source New Mexico. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Fowler, Stephen (March 22, 2025). "Bernie Sanders is drawing record crowds as he pushes Democrats to 'fight oligarchy'". NPR. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  4. ^ Ferguson, Malcolm (March 24, 2025). "Bernie Sanders and AOC Rallies Are Pissing Off Elon Musk". The New Republic. ISSN 0028-6583. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e Otterbein, Holly; Booker, Brakkton (March 26, 2025). "What the Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez mega-rallies are really about". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Witt, Emily (March 25, 2025). "Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Fight the Oligarchy". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  7. ^ Sifry, Micah L. (March 26, 2025). "Bernie's 'Fighting Oligarchy' Tour Is Organizing, Too". The American Prospect. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  8. ^ "Sen. Bernie Sanders brings his 'Fight Oligarchy' tour to Iowa City". www.thegazette.com. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  9. ^ "Massive turnout for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders in Iowa City". Homegrown Iowan. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  10. ^ Rommel, Nick (March 8, 2025). "Bernie Sanders draws capacity crowd in Kenosha". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  11. ^ a b c "Drawing huge crowds, Bernie Sanders emerges as the leader of the anti-Trump resistance". PBS News. March 10, 2025. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  12. ^ Mohr, Toby (March 8, 2025). "Bernie Sanders rallies to "Fight Oligarchy" in Altoona". WQOW. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  13. ^ Roth, Andrew (March 9, 2025). "Bernie Sanders draws 10,000 supporters to Warren for a 'Fight Oligarchy' rally". Michigan Advance. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  14. ^ Hill, Jessica (March 20, 2025). "Bernie, AOC call for grassroots organizing in North Las Vegas rally". Las Vegas Review-Journal. ISSN 1097-1645. Retrieved April 13, 2025.
  15. ^ Murray, Stephanie (March 21, 2025). "Bernie Sanders and AOC say it's time to 'throw these bums out' at anti-Trump rally". The Arizona Republic. ISSN 0892-8711. Archived from the original on March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  16. ^ a b Mason, Tori (March 22, 2025). "Over 30,000 turn out for Bernie Sanders, AOC rally in Denver amid push for progressive change". CBS News. Retrieved April 13, 2025.
  17. ^ Nelson, Laura J. (April 12, 2025). "At packed L.A. rally, Bernie Sanders says U.S. facing 'extraordinary danger'". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Archived from the original on April 13, 2025. Retrieved April 13, 2025.
  18. ^ Klonowski, Averie (April 14, 2025). "Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez speak to sold-out Huntsman Center". FOX 13 News Utah (KSTU). Archived from the original on April 14, 2025. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  19. ^ Cutler, Sarah (April 14, 2025). "'It's a dire time': Bernie Sanders, AOC draw 12,000-plus to Idaho rally". Idaho Statesman. Archived from the original on April 15, 2025. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  20. ^ Keavy, Madisen (April 15, 2025). "Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez "Fighting Oligarchy" tour draws massive crowd to Folsom". CBS News. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
  21. ^ "Fighting Oligarchy: Where We Go From Here with Bernie Sanders in Bakersfield". Friends of Bernie Sanders. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  22. ^ Segall, Peter (April 15, 2025). "Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez draw huge crowds in red Kern County". Retrieved April 16, 2025.
  23. ^ "Fighting Oligarchy: Where We Go From Here with Bernie Sanders in Missoula". Friends of Bernie Sanders. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  24. ^ a b c "Bernie Sanders visiting Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Bethlehem on "Fighting Oligarchy" tour". CBS News. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
  25. ^ Gleiter, Sue (May 2, 2025). "Bernie Sanders draws hundreds to Harrisburg rally on 'Fighting Oligarchy' tour". pennlive. Archived from the original on May 3, 2025. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  26. ^ "Bernie Sanders brings 'Fight Oligarchy' tour to Harrisburg". FOX 43. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  27. ^ "Bernie Sanders brings "Fighting Oligarchy" tour to Lehigh". The Brown and White. May 4, 2025. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  28. ^ Stringer, Connor (April 13, 2025). "Bernie Sanders urges Coachella crowd to stand up against 'US oligarchy'". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  29. ^ Jones, Abby (March 9, 2025). "The Armed Cover The Stooges At Bernie Sanders' Fighting Oligarchy Rally In Michigan: Watch". Stereogum. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  30. ^ Greene, Andy (April 13, 2025). "Watch Neil Young Play 'Rockin' in the Free World' With Joan Baez and Maggie Rogers". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  31. ^ Beal-Cvetko, Bridger (April 13, 2025). "'They want it all': Bernie Sanders condemns billionaires during Salt Lake rally". KSL.com. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
  32. ^ Byik, Andre (April 1, 2025). "Bernie Sanders, AOC plan more 'Fight Oligarchy' tour stops. Are they coming to California?". The Desert Sun. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  33. ^ Murphy, Tim (March 5, 2025). "Bernie Sanders has been warning about oligarchy for years. People are finally listening". Mother Jones. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  34. ^ Gallagher, Jacob (March 24, 2025). "In a Sea of Political Change, Bernie Sanders Keeps Truckin'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  1. ^ Caucuses with the Democratic Party
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