Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton had a campaign office open at 214 N. Walnut St. on April 11 in downtown Muncie. Bernie Sanders, a democrat presidential candidate opened an office on March 26. DN PHOTO HILLARY CLINTON

Muncie's second presidential candidate campaign office opened downtown April 11.

Hillary Clinton's (D) office opened at 214 N Walnut St. in downtown Muncie, just weeks after Bernie Sanders (D) opened his.

Read about Sanders' office here.

Local government officials, like Muncie Mayor Dennis Tyler, spoke at the opening.

“Stakes in this election, ladies and gentlemen, couldn’t be higher," Tyler said. "We’ve heard the dangerous and hateful rhetoric coming from Republicans…Hillary Clinton is the only candidate who can stand up to them.

"It’s crucial that every Hoosier turns out to vote in this primary. There is so much at stake, it is our responsibility to make our voices heard in this election.”

Two members of the Ball State University Democrats, junior political science major Joe Clabough and freshman legal studies and political science major Madeleine Robling, also attended the event.

Robling said it's important for the group to be involved in the democratic candidates' campaigns.

“We’re just making sure that we get a Democrat in the White House, and so we want to be there to support both candidates,” Robling said.

Clabough said different organizations will endorse a candidate during the primary, but members of his group have visited both Sanders’ and Clinton’s offices in Muncie.

“I speak on behalf of the BSU Dems when I say both candidates are greatly qualified,” Clabough said. “It’s up for the people to decide, so, you know, I don’t want us to take a position and sway other people’s opinions and influence. That should be up to them to decide.”

Muncie City Councilman Julius Anderson said now is a good time to be in Muncie and is excited to be a part of Clinton's campaign. He said she is the only candidate who can step into the Oval Office with the experience and confidence to run the country from day one. He encouraged attendees to volunteer and do everything they can to get people out to vote for Clinton.

Field organizer Meaghan Lanane, a former intern for Clinton, said Clinton cannot be elected unless people are knocking on doors and talking to people. There are less than 30 days until Indiana’s primary on May 3.

“We need to be having open dialogue with everyone in this district,” Lanane said. “That’s how we are going to get Secretary Clinton elected… [Muncie] seems like a really exciting area to be able to motivate. … We are going to be working really hard in the future to make sure that we motivate the Ball State campus.”

Peter Hanscom, state director of the Hillary for Indiana campaign, said they are working on building a statewide grassroots campaign that can connect with voters one-on-one. There are currently five offices open in Indiana, but other areas are being looked at.

“What happens here in the Democratic primary really matters,” Hanscom said. “It has an effect on the politics of the entire country, and so we believe that as we’re continuing these conversations, we’re in a place where we’re not only talking about who we believe is the best choice for the Democratic nominee, we’re talking about who we believe is gonna be the best choice for the next president of the United States.”

No Republican candidates have opened campaign offices in Muncie yet.