Wichitans line up hours before Sanders/Thompson campaign rally at Century II

Progressive Wichita started to feel the Bern early at the Century II, well before the doors opened for a Bernie Sanders rally on behalf of congressional candidate James Thompson.

Fans of the Vermont senator and former Democratic presidential candidate started lining up at 6:45 a.m. Friday for the scheduled 1 p.m. rally.

First in line were Sheila Hardman, lunch lady and custodian in the Wichita school district, and daughter Claire, a junior at Northwest High School.

Two protesters were in evidence as hundreds streamed inside.

One, Ed Myers of Newton, stood at the entrance with a sign suggesting Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, should go to Venezuela and take his own toilet paper.

Thompson said he doesn’t identify himself as a socialist of any kind — he considers himself a progressive Democrat — and he criticized those who lump all categories of socialism together.

Socialism, he said, envisions government control and ownership of production.

“That’s not what Democratic socialism is,” he said. He described democratic socialism as “a check on unrestrained capitalism,” and an effort to fight a system where “corporations are buying off politicians left and right.”

“The overall policies we’re talking about — Medicare for all, tuition-free colleges, a livable wage — those are things that help working people,” he said. “People are going to label me regardless of what I say. I’d rather talk about issues than what box someone wants to put me in.”

The rally also features Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York who gained national attention when she defeated longtime incumbent U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley in the Democratic primary.

Thompson seeks the Democratic nomination in the 4th Congressional District. He and Laura Lombard will face off in the Aug. 7 primary for the chance to oppose U.S. Rep. Ron Estes in November.

This story was originally published July 20, 2018 at 12:20 PM.