At Portland Rally, Sanders Says He's The Candidate To Beat Trump

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Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders told thousands of cheering fans in Portland that he is proving he’s the strongest candidate to take on Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.

Sanders, anticipating a big win in Washington state’s Democratic caucuses on Saturday, attracted 11,500 to a Friday rally at Portland's Moda Center.

He exulted in a new poll showing him one point ahead of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.  He also boasted that several polls show him running stronger against Trump or other potential Republican nominees.

Related: Thousands Gather To See Bernie Sanders In Vancouver, Washington

"If we do not allow the Trumps of the world to divide us up; if we stand together as black and white and Latino and Asian-American and Native American, gay and straight, men and women, there is nothing we cannot accomplish," Sanders said.

Sanders won repeated cheers as he called for free tuition at public colleges, immigration reform and government-paid health care for all.

He sharply attacked Clinton for voting in favor of going to war in Iraq. And he criticized her for taking campaign donations from Wall Street.

With 101 delegates at stake, Washington is the largest caucus state. Sanders has won almost all of the caucuses.

Sanders now believes he is entering a stretch of the primary campaign where he can cut into Clinton’s delegate lead. Among his targets: Oregon’s May 17 primary.