Bernie Sanders takes lead in the poles at gay bar that Pete Buttigieg pulled out from ‘because it has a dancer pole’
Bernie Sanders supporters staged a rally at a gay bar, decorating a dancer’s poll with signs. (STEPHEN MATUREN/AFP via Getty Images/Screen capture via ABC News_
Bernie Sanders supporters staged a rally in a gay club on Friday night that fellow presidential contender Pete Buttigieg pulled out from because it “had a dancing pole”.
Last week, the South Bend, Indiana, mayor cancelled a fundraiser to be held at the Providence, Rhode Island, nightclub, The Dark Lady, club owners claimed.
In a seething Facebook post, the club alleged that Buttigieg’s husband, Chasten, cancelled his appearance there just minutes before because organisers wouldn’t remove a fixed “dancer pole.”
‘This is how a campaign shows solidarity with the LGBTQ community.’
But the bar doors burst opened for the Vermont senator’s supporters this week, as they gathered signatures and even decorated the infamous poll with ‘Vote Bernie’ signs, NBC TurnTo10 reported.
Yep, the event was really great! **This** is how a campaign shows solidarity with the LGBTQ community. #NotMeUs #Bernie2020 pic.twitter.com/TYgkBHUjeQ
— Alex Kithes ?, Woonsocket City Councilor (@alexkithes) January 25, 2020
The club’s walls were lit up by flashing ‘Vote Bernie’ signs, as volunteers lapped around the space with clipboards and clinked cocktails from 7pm to 9pm.
In the crowd was Lukey, who was bristled by Buttigieg pulling out of the private fundraiser: “I’ve never trusted Buttigieg and was unsurprised that their campaign got upset about respectability at a gay bar,” they told PinkNews.
“I’m a huge Bernie supporter and I was excited to see that the campaign was holding an event there,” they said, “it was a nice show of solidarity, and in addition to collecting signatures to get Bernie on the ballot, they helped a bunch of us register to vote.
There was a great positive energy in the room. It’s a fun image, but seeing the Bernie signs on the pole was a meaningful gesture.
“Bernie is the only candidate with a decades-long record of support and advocacy on LGBT+ issues. Unlike the other candidates, he’s never abandoned our community when it’s politically convenient.
“Healthcare, housing, and job security are all issues that disproportionately impact working LGBT+ people, and Bernie’s policies will dramatically improve the lives of millions.”
Bernie Sanders is leading in both the poles and the polls.
Contenders are currently hitting the campaign trail in attempts to seize a sturdy lead in the volatile Iowa race.
Sanders has secured 25 per cent of the vote, according to a New York Times poll, with Biden trailing a distant third behind Pete Buttigieg.
Bernie Sanders talks to reporters at the US Capitol January 21, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
With Biden’s support stagnating, other runners are attempting to net the undecided voters, leading to bumps in the polls among Buttigieg’s base.
Voters are wrestling with who to side with, and, after a year of campaigning, who prevails in Iowa may make or break which candidate ultimately battles Republican president Donald Trump.
