FARGO – North Dakota may be known for its conservative politics, but in this city and elsewhere in the region, a passionate group of volunteers is diligently working to build support for Bernie Sanders, the liberal Democratic candidate for president.

A grass-roots effort for the senator from Vermont counts more than 200 members in various cities in the state including Bismarck, Wahpeton and Fargo, where volunteers meet every two weeks in a conference room at Atomic Coffee downtown.

Sanders is also finding supporters on the Minnesota side in Moorhead, Detroit Lakes and Breckenridge, local organizers say.

"Each of those areas, we'll try to grow," said Jill St. John, communications director for the Fargo-Moorhead effort for Sanders.

The candidate's supporters here are raising his profile by walking in parades, including the recent F-M Pride and Moorhead Days parades, and hosting events. A Fargo fundraiser called Beers for Bernie in early August drew 200 people, St. John said, a number "we didn't expect."

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St. John, 49, of Fargo, said the regional support for Sanders comes down to his liberal policies and authentic character, which resonate with old and young people alike.

Melia Allen, a 21-year-old student at Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Moorhead, is a volunteer for Sanders. Two of Sanders' platforms - making college tuition free and raising the minimum wage - appeal to her.

Now she is spreading the word on her college campus, "as much as possible without, you know, shoving it down people's throats." There are others like Allen rallying for Sanders at North Dakota State University, Concordia College and Minnesota State University Moorhead, St. John said.

Karl Keene, another volunteer, said Sanders is the best candidate because of his commitment to social justice and tackling climate change.

"He's been saying these things for years," said Keene, 59, of Moorhead. "People are finally getting to really hear what he's saying."

St. John said she devotes 20 to 25 hours a week to the grass-roots effort. The campaign does not pay her or tell her what to do.

"All credit goes to those volunteers for picking up and doing it," said Andrew Virden, a staffer for the Sanders campaign who has talked with members of the Fargo-based effort. He said such efforts are particularly important since Sanders does not have paid staff in North Dakota or Minnesota.

"What they're doing in Fargo - the amount of volunteers, the amount of things that they're doing, is very impressive," Virden said. "It doesn't go unnoticed."

The Sanders campaign is hiring a staffer for Minnesota, Virden said, but he did not know if it will do the same for North Dakota.

By contrast, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has already deployed paid staffers to 46 non-early primary states, including North Dakota. The staffers stayed from late April through July 1 and were tasked with building grass-roots support for the candidate, said Clinton spokesman Tyrone Gayle.

Though the Clinton staffer left North Dakota, "there is volunteer activity," Gayle said.

When it comes to grass-roots organizing among Democrats here, it seems Sanders is beating Clinton, at least for the moment, said Barry Nelson, chair of Democratic-NPL of Cass County.

St. John agreed. She prefers Sanders over Clinton because she said represents the "corporate interest versus the interest of the people."

St. John said Sanders, who unlike Clinton has refused to raise money through a Super PAC, is "not for sale."

If you go:

What: Bernie Fest Rally/Fundraiser

When: From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday

Where: All Star Bowl in Moorhead

Event includes: Music (jazz, folk, pop, punk and rap), human foosball, prizes, meet/greet with Bernie Sanders supporters in the F-M area.

Tickets: Free-will donation, with funds going to the Bernie Sanders 2016 campaign.

For more information email BernieTeamFargo@gmail.com