King Day At The Dome brings 2020 Presidential Hopefuls to Columbia

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)– King Day at the Dome gained national attention with possible presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vermont, and Sen. Corey Booker, D-New Jersey, as speakers during the rally. Mayor Benjamin said in his remarks that the road to the White House beings in South Carolina, so it is no surprise that a few 2020 presidential hopefuls were in town trying to gain early support.

The rally mirrored the march Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led years ago, demanding equality, justice, and action.

“We must march on the ballot box, we must march on the ballot box,” Rev. Nelson Rivers III said. 

Many speakers called on South Carolinians to take action in 2020. South Carolina Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter called for her state to increase their voting numbers.

Education being the path to change was the focus of the rally. Both Booker and Sanders had many things they want to check off.

“And I find it remarkable that 56 years after that march, many of the demands that Dr. King and others made are still demands that we have got to fight for today,” Sen. Bernie Sanders said. 

Booker urged that Americans are dissatisfied with unlivable wages, gun violence, and toxic drinking water. Sanders brought up many issues including the lack of affordable housing and universal health care. That is something even U.S. House Majority Whip Congressman Jim Clyburn echoed.

“That of all the injustices that exist in the world… he thought the inequality in health care was the most egregious and unjust,” Clyburn said.

While Dr. King’s messages were reiterated, all speakers had one demand: action.

“This is the moment in America where we don’t just celebrate King’s holiday, we re-commit ourselves to be the agents of change. To be the daring dreamers once again,” Sen. Booker said. 

The crowd cheered when speakers said out the only way to honor Dr. King’s legacy is to fight for equality every day and many had personal messages for President Donald Trump.

“We’re going to have another shut down. We’re going to shut down 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., we’re going to shut down the hate, the evil. We’re going to shut down the orange menace,” Rivers said.