Bernie Sanders draws biggest crowd at Portland rally

Dan Merica, CNN
Updated 11:21 AM EDT, Mon August 10, 2015
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Story highlights

Bernie Sanders held a rally in Portland, Oregon, which featured the largest crowd so far of any single 2016 candidate

The event came just a day after protestors interrupted a rally he had in Seattle

Sanders is now featuring security at his rallies, and protestors were unable to interrupt his Sunday event

(CNN) —  

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders drew more than 19,000 people to an NBA arena on Sunday night in Portland, Oregon, setting the record for the largest political event of the 2016 presidential contest.

The Democratic candidate has drawn large crowds nearly everywhere he has gone, so much so that Sanders’ campaign has started to be defined by their turnout figures. Sanders’ staff has also proudly touted the numbers as proof that their campaign is catching fire nationally, though Sanders’ largest rallies have typically been in liberal enclaves such as Madison, Wisconsin, and Sunday’s Pacific Northwest events fit that description.

“Whoa,” Sanders said as he walked on stage in Portland. “This is an unbelievable turnout.”

US Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at a campaign rally in Chicago in March 2019. Sanders, an independent from Vermont, is the longest-serving independent in the history of Congress.
Photos: Former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders
PHOTO: Nam Y. Huh/AP
US Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at a campaign rally in Chicago in March 2019. Sanders, an independent from Vermont, is the longest-serving independent in the history of Congress.
Sanders, right, leads a sit-in organized by the Congress of Racial Equality in 1962. The demonstration was staged to oppose housing segregation at the University of Chicago. It was Chicago's first civil rights sit-in.
Photos: Former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders
PHOTO: Danny Lyon/Magnum Photos
Sanders, right, leads a sit-in organized by the Congress of Racial Equality in 1962. The demonstration was staged to oppose housing segregation at the University of Chicago. It was Chicago's first civil rights sit-in.
Sanders takes the oath of office to become the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, in 1981. He ran as an independent and won the race by 10 votes.
Photos: Former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders
PHOTO: Donna Light/AP
Sanders takes the oath of office to become the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, in 1981. He ran as an independent and won the race by 10 votes.
Sanders, right, tosses a baseball before a minor-league game in Vermont in 1984. US Sen. Patrick Leahy, center, was also on hand.
Photos: Former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders
PHOTO: Toby Talbot/AP
Sanders, right, tosses a baseball before a minor-league game in Vermont in 1984. US Sen. Patrick Leahy, center, was also on hand.
In 1987, Sanders and a group of Vermont musicians recorded a spoken-word folk album. "We Shall Overcome" was first released as a cassette that sold about 600 copies. When Sanders entered the US presidential race in 2015, the album surged in online sales. But at a CNN town hall, Sanders said, "It's the worst album ever recorded."
Photos: Former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders
PHOTO: Toby Talbot/AP
In 1987, Sanders and a group of Vermont musicians recorded a spoken-word folk album. "We Shall Overcome" was first released as a cassette that sold about 600 copies. When Sanders entered the US presidential race in 2015, the album surged in online sales. But at a CNN town hall, Sanders said, "It's the worst album ever recorded."
Sanders reads mail at his campaign office in Burlington in 1990. He was running for the US House of Representatives after an unsuccessful bid in 1988.
Photos: Former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders
PHOTO: Steve Liss/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images
Sanders reads mail at his campaign office in Burlington in 1990. He was running for the US House of Representatives after an unsuccessful bid in 1988.
In 1990, Sanders defeated US Rep. Peter Smith in the race for Vermont's lone House seat. He won by 16 percentage points.
Photos: Former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders
PHOTO: Rob Swanson/AP
In 1990, Sanders defeated US Rep. Peter Smith in the race for Vermont's lone House seat. He won by 16 percentage points.
Sanders sits next to President Bill Clinton in 1993 before the Congressional Progressive Caucus held a meeting at the White House. Sanders co-founded the caucus in 1991 and served as its first chairman.
Photos: Former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders
PHOTO: Marcy Nighswander/AP
Sanders sits next to President Bill Clinton in 1993 before the Congressional Progressive Caucus held a meeting at the White House. Sanders co-founded the caucus in 1991 and served as its first chairman.
Barack Obama, then a US senator, endorses Sanders' Senate bid at a rally in Burlington in 2006.
Photos: Former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders
PHOTO: TOBY TALBOT/AP
Barack Obama, then a US senator, endorses Sanders' Senate bid at a rally in Burlington in 2006.
Sanders takes part in a swearing-in ceremony at the US Capitol in January 2007. He won his Senate seat with 65% of the vote.
Photos: Former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders
PHOTO: David Scull/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Sanders takes part in a swearing-in ceremony at the US Capitol in January 2007. He won his Senate seat with 65% of the vote.
Sanders chats with Dr. John Matthew, director of The Health Center in Plainfield, Vermont, in May 2007. Sanders was in Plainfield to celebrate a new source of federal funding for The Health Center.
Photos: Former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders
PHOTO: Toby Talbot/AP
Sanders chats with Dr. John Matthew, director of The Health Center in Plainfield, Vermont, in May 2007. Sanders was in Plainfield to celebrate a new source of federal funding for The Health Center.
Sanders speaks to reporters in 2010 about the Obama administration's push to extend Bush-era tax cuts. Three days later, Sanders held a filibuster against the reinstatement of the tax cuts. His speech, which lasted more than eight hours, was published in book form in 2011. It is called "The Speech: A Historic Filibuster on Corporate Greed and the Decline of Our Middle Class."
Photos: Former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders
PHOTO: Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images
Sanders speaks to reporters in 2010 about the Obama administration's push to extend Bush-era tax cuts. Three days later, Sanders held a filibuster against the reinstatement of the tax cuts. His speech, which lasted