Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez Draw Massive Crowds in Deep-Red States, Offering Hope to Isolated Progressives -

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Salt Lake City/Boise, April 2025: Stephanie and Ryan Burnett were stunned by the overwhelming turnout. As they approached the aging basketball arena in Salt Lake City for a Bernie Sanders rally, the sea of people winding through the surrounding streets made them second-guess if they were even in the right place.

“We’re not used to seeing this kind of energy here in Utah,” said 28-year-old Ryan Burnett, who works in retail and hospitality in the nearby town of South Weber.

Yet, in one of America’s most conservative regions, progressive icons Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are packing venues with thousands of people as part of their “Fighting Oligarchy” tour. Their recent stops in traditionally Republican strongholds like Idaho and Utah are not just drawing big numbers—they’re also igniting a sense of belonging and hope for left-leaning voters who often feel isolated.

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Earlier this week in Idaho, the Ford Idaho Center near Boise reached full capacity, with 12,500 people in attendance and many turned away at the doors. This in Canyon County, where the number of registered Democrats is only about 11,900, according to the Idaho Secretary of State.

While states like Utah, Idaho, and Montana remain firmly under Republican control—with Donald Trump winning Utah by 22 points and Idaho by 37 in the last election—the rallies signal growing dissatisfaction with the current political landscape. For many progressives living in these areas, the tour is a rare and energizing experience.

Ocasio-Cortez, 35, widely seen as Sanders’ ideological heir and a potential 2028 presidential contender, joined Sanders on stage to enthusiastic cheers. In Salt Lake City, Sanders jokingly referred to her as his “daughter.” The rally filled the 15,000-seat University of Utah arena, with thousands more left outside.

“This may seem like enemy territory,” Ocasio-Cortez told the Utah crowd, “but change is possible. I’m standing here as proof.”

Sanders reinforced that message in an interview with the Associated Press, asking whether Democrats want to stand with everyday Americans or continue to rely on billionaire donors. “Do they want these folks to be in the Democratic Party, or do they want to be funded by billionaires?” he asked.

Other prominent Democrats are following a similar strategy, venturing into red states to reconnect with working-class voters. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, last year’s Democratic vice-presidential nominee, recently toured Ohio, alongside California Rep. Ro Khanna, as part of a push to challenge Vice President JD Vance’s hold in the region.

Despite being seen as deeply conservative, cities like Boise and Salt Lake City have pockets of progressive energy and counterculture. Still, many liberal residents feel politically isolated.

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Ryan Burnett described being progressive in Utah as “wearing a mask,” but said the rally was a rare moment of comfort and solidarity. His mother, Stephanie, a 52-year-old caregiver and online seller, echoed the sentiment. “I went to church this morning, and I came here this evening because this is where I feel accepted,” she said, noting that her church parking lot is lined with pro-Trump bumper stickers.

In Idaho, attendees shared similar experiences. Meghan Nadoroff and her mother, Kathy Franckiewicz, traveled from Kuna, a small farming town outside Boise, to attend the rally. Both felt politically abandoned — alienated by far-right state policies and overlooked by national Democrats.

“We’re pretty much invisible here,” Nadoroff said. “It’s easy to just give up.”

Others, like Jaxon Pond, a 20-year-old from Meridian, Idaho, say these rallies offer not only political inspiration but also emotional relief. “It feels safe, like we’re not alone,” Pond said. “As a gay man, I have to watch everything I say. Idaho isn’t the safest place to be openly queer.”

Republicans, meanwhile, are pushing back. Idaho Governor Brad Little mocked Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez on social media, posting the viral image of Sanders in a winter coat with the caption: “I am once again asking for you to not bring your failed policies to Idaho.”

Still, the massive crowds and emotional testimonies point to something more significant: a spark of progressive enthusiasm in regions where it often struggles to catch fire. As Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez continue their tour, they’re offering more than just speeches, they’re offering visibility, encouragement, and a sense of community to Democrats in red states who have long felt left behind.

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