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AMES, Iowa- Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders spent his Independence Day morning in Story County.

Walking up to his supporters in the Slater parade, Sanders joked “This is a 16-mile walk, is that right?”

Sanders walked though Slater on the parade and then headed to Ames for another big parade. He concluded his visit to Ames opening a new office on Kellogg, complete with a free ice cream social, serving Ben & Jerry’s Mint Oreo though an open window to the overflow people who could not get in the building.

During a speech in his new Ames office, Sanders reeled off a list of his priorities, including student debt.

“Because they did the right thing, and tried to get higher education, they are now being crushed by this debt,” said Sanders. “What I have said in this campaign, if the US Congress can spend over a trillion dollars bailing out crooks on Wall Street, we can cancel student debt in this country.”

Another issue for Sanders is health care for all.

“The fundamental belief that healthcare is a human right, not a privilege,” said Sanders. “Today, poll after poll tells us the American people support Medicare for all single-payer program.”

Sanders expressed appreciation to his supporters for sticking with him.

“Bring young people, and working people not the political process,” said Sanders. “When we do all that, we’re going to win here in Iowa, we’re going to win the Democratic nomination, we’re going to defeat Trump, we’re going to transform this country.”

“I can see there’s still energy to support Bernie, that’s what I like, I like to see the energy,” said Angela Dunkin of Ames.

“He cares about climate change, there’s no other candidate in the race I can trust enough to take on the special interests with the consistency and directness of him,” said Christopher Jackson of Story City.

Sanders was scheduled to hit four parades in Central Iowa on July 4th, including Windsor Heights and Pella as well.

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