The Inland Empire will be the center of the political universe Tuesday with Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders holding separate public rallies.

Sanders will host a 7 p.m. event at the National Orange Show Events Center, 689 E. St. in San Bernardino, after holding a 2 p.m. rally at Riverside Municipal Auditorium, 3485 Mission Inn Ave. Doors open to the public at 4 p.m. for the San Bernardino rally and noon for the Riverside rally.

Clinton will rally backers at 5:30 p.m. at the Johnson Family Practice Center, an athletic training facility located at 900 University Ave. on the UC Riverside campus, the campaign confirmed through a news release. Doors open to the public at 3:30.

Additionally, supporters of presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump plan a rally at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Mill Creek Cattle Co., 1874 Mentone Blvd. in Mentone.

Sanders “will discuss a wide range of issues, including getting big money out of politics, his plan to make public colleges and universities tuition-free, combating climate change and ensuring universal health care,” a news release read.

Clinton “will ask Californians for their support and urge them to go out and vote on Election Day,” a campaign news release read. “She will also discuss why she is the best candidate to raise incomes for California families, to lower health care costs and improve education, and to break down the barriers that hold too many Americans back.”

All three rallies are free and open to the public, although people are asked to RSVP online.

James Grant, a UCR spokesman, said officials there don’t know why Clinton’s campaign organizers chose the campus for a visit. But Grant said they are pleased.

“We’re very excited to have a potential future president,” he said. “It’s a reflection of the importance of the Inland Empire as well as the importance of our campus.”

Grant was uncertain how many people the gym can hold.

Security personnel from other campuses are being called in and will coordinate with the Secret Service, he said. He did not know if other local police agencies would be involved.

Some UCR students are already planning a protest. A Facebook page called Highlanders Against Hillary had seven hosts as of Saturday morning.

Earlier in the day, Sanders will hold a rally in Anaheim.

Before heading to UCR, Clinton plans to tour Los Angeles and discuss foster care with Democratic Rep. Karen Bass before holding an event in Commerce.

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Wednesday is scheduled to be at an afternoon rally in Anaheim and a fundraiser in Los Angeles.

FIGHT FOR DELEGATES

The Democratic candidates’ visits to the Inland region will come about two weeks before California’s June 7 presidential primary. Sanders, a senator from Vermont, and Clinton, a former secretary of state, senator and first lady, are seeking the Democratic presidential nomination.

Clinton leads Sanders by 274 pledged delegates. When superdelgates – party leaders and Democratic officials who are free to support the candidate of their choosing – are factored in, Clinton’s lead grows to 760 delegates.

While Sanders has picked up a number of recent primary victories, including Indiana and Oregon, he has failed to make a significant dent in Clinton’s lead because Democratic primaries award their delegates proportionally based on the number of votes for each candidate.

Despite the gap, Sanders, a 74-year-old self-described democratic socialist, has vowed to campaign until every vote is counted. He has attacked Clinton, 68, as beholden to Wall Street and big business and argues he’s a stronger general election candidate against Trump.

Some of Clinton’s supporters contend Sanders is harming the Democratic Party and the goal of beating Trump by staying in the race. Clinton has described herself as “a progressive who gets things done,” and Sanders’ critics say his ideas are simplistic and unfeasible, given that the GOP controls Congress.

California will send 475 pledged delegates to the convention, and Sanders will have to win nearly all of those to have any chance of upsetting Clinton. As a result, Sanders has made a last stand of sorts in the Golden State, opening a number of offices statewide as he holds rallies throughout California.

FRIENDLY GROUND

Clinton has pivoted more toward a November matchup with Trump. But she isn’t ignoring California. Besides holding rallies here, Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton, is visiting communities across the state, and he was in Pomona on Saturday.

A Clinton fundraiser featuring California Secretary of State Alex Padilla was scheduled for Saturday night in Riverside. For his part, Sanders made an informal trip to the Coachella Valley a few days ago.

Clinton and Sanders will find a politically receptive climate in Riverside. Democratic registered voters outnumber Republicans 39 percent to 35 percent, and the city’s congressman, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Riverside, is a Clinton supporter who has made a name for himself by mocking Republicans on social media.

Forty-two percent of San Bernardino city residents are registered Democrats, providing another welcome venue for Sanders. Earlier this year, Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Redlands, a Clinton backer, asked Clinton and Sanders to hold a debate in San Bernardino in recognition of the city’s resilience after the Dec. 2 terrorist attack that killed 14 people and wounded 22.

The Inland Empire has traditionally been a Republican stronghold. But Democrats have won a number of competitive Inland elections in recent years as the region’s Latino population rose.

Staff writers Imran Ghori and Mark Muckenfuss contributed to this report.