Democrats sided clearly with Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at Saturday’s presidential caucus at the Polar Cafe.
Sunlight reflecting off the sea outside streamed into the small cafe as the room filled with caucus-goers.
Organizer Lew Tobin said he was amazed at the turnout.
“Usually in odd years, especially when it’s not an election year for a president, we have five to six people in the Democrats’ caucus,” Tobin said.
Because it is a presidential election year, Tobin said he was expecting about 30 people to show up. The small diner instead saw 58 caucus-goers. The reason for the high turnout?
“It’s a rather polarizing election year,” Tobin explained.
The polarization played out in a cramped Polar Café, as Sanders supporters shuffled to one side of the room, while Clinton supporters convened at the other end.
The 14 Clinton supporters, which included Nome’s Mayor Richard Beneville, were counted with ease as they remained seated. On the other end of the room, Sanders supporters were tougher to tally. The large group flowed over into the main dining room, bumping up against the breakfast crowd.
Pattie Lillie was one of those Sanders supporters. She cited his fight against income inequality as one of the reasons she’s caucusing for him.
“Big money is involved in politics now, and that’s taking the voice away from the common people and putting it in the hands of fewer, more powerful people,” Lillie said.
Andrew James was also there to caucus for Sanders. Over the cheers for Bernie, James agreed money is playing too big a role in politics.
“Without foundational change, we have a democracy that looks more like a plutocracy,” James exclaimed.
It was all very public, but for some, like caucuser Kristine McRae, issues like income inequality matter enough to show the public who you side with.
“I tend to be really private about politics and my choices, but I feel like this is important enough to come out and be utterly authentic about what we need,” McRae said.
McRae joined the 43 other Sanders supporters inside the Polar Café on Saturday. In less than an hour, the caucus in Nome was over. Organizer Lew Tobin says it was a success.
“We got organized, we accomplished what we wanted to do, and no fist fights broke out, no discussions grew heated,” Tobin said. “We’re still all friends, I think,” he added. “Everybody went home happy.”
In Nome, 44 caucused for Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, and 14 caucused for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Sanders took 74% of the vote in the Bering Strait region, which also includes caucuses in Unalakleet and Koyuk. Overall, the State of Alaska went 81% for Sanders and 19% for Clinton.
