Elizabeth Warren gets ‘warm’ welcome from supporters in Tempe

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - It was a late night in Tempe for one of the top 2020 Democratic presidential candidates Thursday.

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren made her first stop in Arizona since announcing her run for the White House with a free town hall that was open to the public.

Arizona is considered a battleground state and democrats are hoping they will be able to turn it blue.

“The way we are going to have a comparative advantage to beat Trump to beat trump in November 2020 and to make the real change come January 2021 is to start building that grassroots movement right now and that means not just in early states, it means all across this country and Arizona is key to that," said Warren.

The triple-digit temperatures didn’t stop people from lining up outside the Marquee Theater to get a spot inside to hear what the U.S. Senator had to say.

“I want to be an informed voter," said Kim Tharpe.

“She makes us very hopeful. Gives us something to get pumped up about and get excited about," said a young girl with Tharpe in line.

“I want to be encouraged. I want to be encouraged for Elizabeth Warren and I want to be encouraged for the United States," said Teri VanKlaveren.

“We need new leadership," said Mark Williams. “We’re excited about Liz Warren’s candidacy. We want to see her up close and personal and hear what she has to say.”

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While the event was labeled a “town hall," Warren did not take any questions from the people sitting on stage behind her or the audience.

When a reporter asked why, she said it was due to the weather.

“Because it was hot outside and we had several hundred people waiting, so I just tried to do it faster than usual. This is only the second time I’ve done that," said Warren.

Warren told the room of Arizonans that she will fight for a fair America, not for a country that she sees is for or the wealthy.

She spoke on families surviving on earning minimum wage, imposing a wealth tax on the richest in the country and fighting corruption she sees in Washington. Warren told reported that Arizona is an important state in her campaign.

“I’ve gotten a wonderful welcome and a lot of people who really want to be in this fight, who really want to see change and it was great to be here and particularly to be here at a time when I could publicly be endorsed by Congressman Grijalva. It’s a great honor to be on the stage with him,” Warren said.

When asked immigration, after her recent call for an investigation into Border Patrol and ICE’s detaining of U.S. citizens, Warren told reporters it is about how America builds a future.

“Donald Trump has told all of America if you got a problem, if your wages are flat, if expenses are going up, if things aren’t working well in your life, blame them," said Warren. “Blame people who don’t look like you, blame people who aren’t the same color as you, blame people who weren’t born where you were born, blame people who don’t worship like you.”

“Immigration does not make our country weaker, it makes our country stronger and we need to reaffirm that value as part of our 2020 elections and that’s what I am going to do,” Warren finished before leaving reporters.

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