Sanders: 'I am getting a very good feeling about Iowa'

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Ia. — Sen. Bernie Sanders said he's got a "very good feeling about Iowa."

"Since we began this campaign we have spoken to over 31,000 people in the state of Iowa," Sanders told a crowd of about 1,500 at Iowa Western Community College Tuesday evening. "So keep it a secret, don't tell anybody. But I think we're going to win here and we're going to make history."

Sanders said his campaign has done well, despite getting short shrift from the national media. He pointed to a recent study that showed ABC World News Tonight has given Republican Donald Trump some 80 minutes of coverage over the last year, while his populist campaign has received only 20 seconds of coverage.

"All you need is 20 seconds," yelled a supporter in the crowd.

"That's right, all we need is 20 seconds," Sanders said as the crowd erupted into cheers.

Sanders capped off a full day of campaigning in Council Bluffs, the western Iowa town on the outskirts of Omaha that was home to Sanders' largest Iowa crowd yet in July when he attracted some 2,500 supporters.

Steve Handley, 37, of Council Bluffs, says he's been following Sanders for several years after seeing the senator appear on MSNBS's "The Rachel Maddow Show."

"I was like that guy needs to run," said Handley, who delivers pizza for a living.

Handley is drawn to the Vermont senator's message of raising wages. And both he and his wife, a registered nurse who belongs to a union, are drawn to Sanders pro-labor stance. Handley was less optimistic about Sanders odds, but said a Sanders win isn't

"I think most Democrats won't cry if Hillary {Clinton} is the nominee. And it kind of looks like she will be," he said. "But you never know. He's got the grassroots momentum."

Throughout campaign stops Tuesday, Sanders took shots at Trump, culminating in a rant over Trump's recent comments about Hillary Clinton's bathroom break during the most recent Democratic debate.

Earlier in the day, while meeting with about 100 volunteers and supporters at his Carroll field office, Sanders pointed to a new Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday showing Sanders beating Republican candidate Trump in a theoretical general election match-up by 13 percentage points.



“Boy, would that be a campaign,” said Sanders, according to a pool report. “I would immensely enjoy it. So just on personal level, please give me the opportunity to defeat Donald Trump.”

AT THE EVENTS

SETTINGS: Iowa Western Community College gymnasium; community center in Harlan, Ia.

CROWDS: Sanders had more than 2,500 supporters in Council Bluffs; about 250 people crammed into a meeting room for his event in Harlan.

REACTIONS: Sanders' enjoyed enthusiastic crowds Tuesday. In Council Bluffs, his fiery stump speech was often interrupted by applause and cheers of "not for sale, not for sale."

OTHER STOPS: Sanders also campaigned in Storm Lake and Carroll on Tuesday.

WHAT'S NEXT: Sanders has Wednesday events planned for Red Oak and Council Bluffs. See DesMoinesRegister.com/candidatetracker for more details. Sanders also has two campaign stops planned in Chicago later on Wednesday.