RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Two Democratic candidates in the race for president, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Pete Buttigieg, spoke to a crowd of roughly 1,800 in Richmond Saturday night at the Blue Commonwealth Gala.
Both presidential hopefuls addressed the midterms in their speeches, mentioning how voters in Virginia helped Democrats take control of the House by electing three new congresswomen. They took time to congratulate the congresswomen, Rep. Abigail Spanberger, Rep. Elaine Luria and Rep. Jennifer Wexton, on their wins. Spanberger, Luria and Wexton were also guest speakers at the event.
The first presidential candidate to speak was Sen. Klobuchar of Minnesota, who called on her fellow Democrats to help restore the middle class.
“Make restore the middle class more than a bumper sticker or prayer,” Klobuchar told the crowd. “Make it a reality.”
Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., took the stage after the senator, telling the crowd he hopes to share his values, not just policy. One issue that the 37-year-old nominee did focus on: healthcare.
“You’re not free if you don’t have healthcare,” Buttigieg said in his speech, “and you can’t start a small business because you’re afraid of leaving your own job because you’ll lose coverage. Healthcare is part of freedom.”
Other guest speakers at the event included Sen. Mark Warner, Sen. Tim Kaine, former governor Terry McAuliffe. The gala is the largest fundraiser for the Democratic Party of Virginia. The event was broadcasted live on C-SPAN.
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