With a year to go to the Wisconsin presidential primary, Bernie Sanders rallies supporters in Madison

MADISON - Apparently, it’s never too early to campaign in Wisconsin.

With a year to go to the state’s presidential primary, Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders came to Madison late Friday afternoon to fire up his liberal base and show that he’s the Democratic contender who can claw back the state next year from President Donald Trump.

It was the start of a weekend campaign swing for Sanders, which will include stops in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania — all states that Trump won in 2016.

“Together, we are going to make sure that that doesn’t happen again,” Sanders said. “We’re going to win here in Wisconsin. We’re going to win in Indiana. We’re going to win in Ohio. We’re going to win in Michigan. We’re going to win in Pennsylvania and together we’re going to win this election.”

Despite cold and blustery weather, nearly 2,500 supporters were “Feeling the Bern” as they gathered in a park overlooking Lake Mendota.

Sanders laid out his agenda that includes boosting the rights of workers, tax fairness and "Medicare for All," vowing to "guarantee health care to all the people as a right."

"Yes we are going to take on the hundreds of millions of dollars spent by the health care industry and we will pass a Medicare for All, single-payer health care program," Sanders said.

He also took aim at Trump, calling the president “a pathological liar.”

“Very few people are proud that we have a president of the United States who lies all the time,” Sanders said.

Sanders said he understood why people voted for Trump four years ago as the GOP candidate spoke to the concerns of working people.

Sanders said: “Our job in this campaign is to reach out to working families who are hurting and to work with them” to create an economy “that works for all of us, not just the one percent.”

He said the principles of his government will be based on economic, social, racial and environmental justice.

Sanders claimed Trump wants to “divide our country” and he vowed to “bring our people together” around “an agenda that works for all of us.”

Wearing an overcoat in the chill, Sanders said: "Although it may not seem at this moment, climate change is not a hoax."

In his second run for president, Sanders has emerged as a front runner, with solid poll numbers and a solid fundraising operation.

He's the third Democratic candidate to come to Wisconsin, following U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Vermont and Beto O'Rourke, a former congressman from Texas.

Another candidate, Julián Castro, the former San Antonio mayor, will speak Saturday night in Milwaukee at a state Democratic Party dinner.

RELATED:2020 presidential hopeful and 'senator next door' Amy Klobuchar campaigns in Eau Claire

RELATED:Beto O'Rourke tests his presidential campaign message with a second appearance in Wisconsin

Sarah Jane Gagnon, an emergency medical technician from Madison, was at the rally with her daughters, 10-year-old Scarlette and 7-year-old Esther.

Gagnon said she voted for Sanders in his 2016 Wisconsin primary victory over Hillary Clinton, and she’ll vote for him again next year. Asked if Sanders can win the presidency, Gagnon said, “Oh, I darn well hope so.”

Cory Dudka, a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, wasn’t as sure about Sanders' prospects.

“I don’t think he can win, but I think he can influence the debate,” said the 18-year-old from Arlington, Virginia.

First-year UW-Madison students Katie Andahl and Ekaterina Kabaee came to take in their first presidential rally as they get prepared to vote in a presidential election for the first time next year.

“I wish I knew more so I could be energized,” Andahl said.

But they’re not natural Sanders supporters in this presidential race. They have home-state rooting interest. Andahl, from St. Cloud Minnesota, is partial to Klobuchar while Kabaee is supportive of U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.

Debby and Paul Nonn drove in from Deerfield to make sure they had a spot near the front to see the man they voted for in the 2016 primary.

“Even if it was sleeting, we’d be here,” Debby Nonn said.

Debby Nonn said she’s drawn to Sanders’ “idealism”

“He’s very credible, very genuine,” she said. “He has political skills. When you listen to him you believe what he says. He has cogent ideas.”