Andrew Yang brought his promise of $1,000 per month for every American adult to Dallas on Friday at what his campaign called his largest fundraiser yet.

More than 1,000 people filled Gilley’s nightclub just south of downtown to hear the long-shot presidential candidate speak, donating at least $20 per person. Fans sported baseball hats with his one-word slogan, “math." They chanted “U-B-I," the abbreviation for Yang’s universal basic income proposal. They rode a mechanical bull.

“We have the clearest sense of the problems on the ground," Yang said. "And we have the clearest sense of the solutions.”

Yang’s proposal to give everyone $1,000 per month is meant to help stabilize families as more jobs shift to automation.

Yang said he’ll pay for the program by cost savings from consolidating federal welfare programs and a new tax on the goods or services a business produces. Research is split on whether such a program could work on such a large scale.

Presidential candidate Andrew Yang hosts a grassroots fundraiser at Gilley’s Dallas on Dec. 6, 2019 in Dallas. This event is Yang’s largest grassroots fundraiser to date. (Juan Figueroa/ The Dallas Morning News) (Juan Figueroa / Staff photographer)

Yang’s visit comes as a critical deadline for his campaign approaches. According to The Washington Post, he needs just one more qualifying poll before Thursday to appear in the Dec. 19 Democratic presidential primary debate in Los Angeles. Candidates must have received at least 4% in four national polls between mid-October and mid-December or at least 6% in two early nominating states.

Candidates must also have received donations from at least 200,000 unique donors and a minimum of 800 unique donors in at least 20 states, which Yang has.

(From left) Courtney, Gunner, Becky and Cody Brown take a selfie before presidential candidate Andrew Yang's grassroots fundraiser at GilleyÕs Dallas on Dec. 6, 2019 in Dallas. Becky voted for Trump in the last election but said her son Gunner convinced her to support Yang because of his Òforward thinking.Ó (Juan Figueroa / Staff photographer)

Texas is expected to play a pivotal role in choosing the Democratic nominee. The state’s primary is March 3, known as Super Tuesday, when candidates win more delegates than any other day during the nomination process. Texas will award more than 260 delegates on a proportional basis after its March primary. That means a number of candidates could two-step out of the Lone Star State with support.

Yang told the crowd he could “guarantee” that a nominee won’t be selected by the Texas primary and said they’d have a chance to support him.

“We can shock the world here in Texas," he said. “We can win this whole thing, no doubt about it.”

Yang received the support of 2% of registered Democrats in a recent University of Texas at Tyler poll. Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren lead in the same survey, which tracks with an average of national polls.

Despite his poor showing in voter surveys, Yang’s supporters — often referred to as the “Yang Gang” — were zealous.

Cesar Cabrera, 37, and his goddaughter, Chey Cavalier, 19, drove to Dallas from the Houston area.

“I want to get the vibe in person,” he said while standing outside the nightclub before the rally began. “When he speaks, you feel he’s talking about the problems — not platitudes.”

Cabrera said he was certain that Yang would make the next debate. And if he doesn’t, he’ll still support the candidate.

Becky Brown and her family traveled about two hours, from Lindale, to see Yang.

Brown, 45, voted for President Donald Trump in the 2016 election but has soured on him since.

“I thought he’d bring a fresh perspective,” she said. “But’s he’s so unprofessional. He’s gone off the rails.”

Brown said her 15-year-old son, Gunner, introduced her to Yang, and she’s been a fan of the businessman ever since — though she’s not prepared to call herself a Democrat. She said part of Yang’s appeal is that he’s more moderate than his competitors, such as Sanders.

“We love the Freedom Dividend," she said, referring to Yang’s universal basic income plan. “He’s looking at problems no one else is looking at.”

Marcos Mateus, 28, sat out the 2016 election because he didn’t want to vote for either Trump or Hillary Clinton. He decided that in 2020, he’d find a candidate that matched his values, and he said Yang is the first politician he’s ever donated to. He donates $20 a month.

“He really cares about people,” Mateus said.

Update: This article has been updated to clarify that Yang’s proposal is to give every American adult $1,000 per month.