LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders attended a rally Sunday with former Kentucky state Rep. Charles Booker, who is considering another run for the U.S. Senate.
The “Rally for Kentucky’s Working Class” was held outside the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville.
Booker hinted again at a run for U.S. Senate during his speech. The Democrat announced April 12 that he's forming an exploratory committee as he weighs a follow-up race in 2022 against Republican incumbent Sen. Rand Paul.
“We are rallying here because everyone should have a living wage. We know that $15 is the floor — be serious," Booker said. "We want everybody to have money in their pockets and make the decisions in their lives and we want everybody to have access to healthy food."
Charles Booker at the "Rally for Kentucky's Working Class" in Louisville on Sunday, May 2. (WDRB Photo)
The rally was also filled with messages of hope from longtime Louisville activists.
“Just this week, while the spotlight of the world was on our city, we saw workers who make the Kentucky Derby happen stand up and demand decent pay for the work they do," Evan Westfall, a Louisville activist said. "We must continue that fight to strengthen our union and reshape the balance of power and benefit in the work place."
Third-generation union workers like Ashley Snyder want a change for labor laws.
“Enough is enough. We need to build worker power and we need leaders like Sen. Sanders and Charles Booker to rewrite these rules for working people," Snyder said.
Sanders took a jab at Sen. Mitch McConnell during his speech.
"Mitch McConnell is not just Kentucky's senator — until a few months ago, as you know, he was the majority leader of the U.S. Senate and my God! I am so elated today that he is only the minority leader," Sanders said.
WDRB asked McConnell for comment, but he did not immediately respond.
Booker said he's focused on "hard-working Kentuckians."
“We’re here today not to just rally for the sake of feeling good, but to get ready for the work that comes after we leave here,” Booker said.
Copyright 2021 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
