Keenan McCollum sat against a wall on New Year’s Eve, catching a breeze from the downtown Des Moines Skywalk, while a thousand people mingled and partied in eyeshot.

McCollum, 27, of Beaverdale, wasn’t complaining. The energy, and that many like-minded supporters of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, was exactly what drew him to the Des Moines Marriott Downtown. The enthusiasm just happened to come with a noticeable uptick in the temperature.

“I told myself I was going to make at least one (campaign) event before the end of the year, and here we are,” he said, as his father, an undecided likely caucusgoer, sat next to him.

At its peak, “Bernie’s Big New Year’s Bash” had 1,300 people filling a hotel ballroom, about 300 more than showed for his 2015 New Year's Eve celebration, according to campaign staff. Attendees sang along to a cover of “Come Together” as performed by The New Power Generation, Prince’s longtime backing band. They stopped for pictures at a photo booth set up by the campaign. They signed climate ribbons, meant to

Sanders gave a short speech, but one that pegged the new year as the start of achieving his policy goals: a Green New Deal to fight climate change and remake the economy; universal health care; the elimination of student loan debt and tuition at post-high school public schools, and more.

“In a few hours, we enter a new year,” Sanders said. “And it will be one of the most pivotal and momentous years in the history of our country. 2020 will be a year in which we end corruption in Washington, in which we end greed in Washington, and a year in which we begin the process of creating a government based on the principles of love and compassion.”

He noted his campaign slogan and swept his arm over the crowd. “It is us,” he said. “Not me.”

All things that inspired McCollum to show support for the campaign in 2016, and volunteer at his caucus precinct in 2020.

“(Sanders’ policies) are not socialist, they’re not anarchy, they’re not too far left,” McCollum said. “They’re basic human rights.”

After Sanders spoke, Linda Torres and Allison Curry, both of Storm Lake, walked out with Sanders yard signs tucked under their arms. Their families traditionally ring in the new year together, but showing their support Tuesday night felt important, they said. They wouldn’t just be there in person — their friends up north would see their social media posts about it, and their neighbors would pass by the signs. They said they felt like ambassadors of his message.

“He’s just such a person for the people,” Curry, 20, said. “It makes me want to see him in office. He advocates for everybody, not just a select group.”

Nick Coltrain is a politics and data reporter for the Register. Reach him at ncoltrain@registermedia.com or at 515-284-8361. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Subscribe today at DesMoinesRegister.com/Deal.