Bernie Sanders touts guaranteed health care during Durham campaign ahead of March primary vote

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders visited Durham on Friday, fresh off winning the New Hampshire primary.

Sanders, vying for the Democratic nomination, spoke at the Durham Convention Center urging supporters to vote early.

Early voting is already underway for North Carolina's primary, which will take place on 'Super Tuesday' (March 3). North Carolina is again expected to be a battleground state for the presidency. A tight race is also expected for the Democratic primary.

"I am told that early voting in North Carolina has started," Sanders told his supporters. "So you know what, get out and vote early!"

Actress Susan Sarandon, who starred in the Durham-based baseball movie "Bull Durham," spoke before Sanders went up.

The senator took to the stage tackling universal health care and taking the time to blast his rival, President Donald Trump, calling him a racist, a sexist, a homophobe, xenophobe and a "religious bigot." Sanders taking the majority of his time highlighting his universal health care plan, demanding that health care is a human right, not a privilege.

Leroy Hinton, a Durham resident, believes the proposed policy would benefit him.

"I'm on disability and its a problem every month getting my medication," Hinton said.

Here in the State Capitol, there is a stalemate on how health care should be distributed. Roy Cooper pushing for expansion, while Republicans pushing back.

"It is an absolute outrage that you have Republicans in this state, who as I understand, have given billions of dollars and tax breaks to the rich and large corporations, but none believe that we should provide healthcare to all people in North Carolina. That's really disgraceful," Sanders said.

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The Vermont Senator visited Durham before holding a rally in Charlotte. Last September, Sanders spoke at UNC-Chapel Hill.

On Thursday, fellow Democratic nominee Mike Bloomberg spoke in Winston-Salem, Greensboro and Raleigh. Joe Biden and Tom Steyer have also already made campaign stops in North Carolina.

All of them hope to be the nominee selected to challenge Republican President Donald Trump in November.