Arizona officials kick off Hillary Clinton rally in Tempe

TEMPE — Several Arizona officials spoke at a rally at Arizona State University in Tempe for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton kicked off the rally.

“We’re going to literally save the world from one of the most dangerous threats our democracy has ever seen,” Stanton said.

Stanton spent a portion of his speech bringing up the negatives of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, saying he, “started his campaign by insulting and demeaning Latinos” and went on to claim Trump has insulted virtually everyone else.

“His big solution seems to be insulting people,” Stanton said. “That’s not who we are in Arizona.

“We say no to con artists.”

Stanton called Clinton the most qualified candidate ever and Trump “only wants to take us in reverse.

“Our progress, our future, our democracy, that is what is at stake this Tuesday,” Stanton said.

He ended his speech by saying that Arizona’s future will be “brighter than ever” if Clinton is elected.

Stanton was followed by Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego.

Gallego welcomed the crowd to what he called “the fight.”

He said in the past he was claiming that 2016 was the year that Arizona would finally turn blue, only to be laughed at.

“We believe that together we can conquer hate and together we would Trump any type of hate with love,” Gallego said. “Now we have the opportunity to prove it.”

Gallego handed the podium off to Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick and former Arizona Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who both spoke briefly in support for Clinton as the last speakers before she took the stage.

“She will stand up to the gun lobby, that’s why I’m voting for Hillary,” Giffords said.

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