On Saturday morning, more than 400 people gathered in the Weitz Center of Creativity to hear Senators Al Franken and Elizabeth Warren speak.

Having won his last election by only 312 votes, Franken is traveling around the state to garner support for his reelection this November. In the past, the student voting block has been integral to his success.

The event featured a slew of performances and speeches. It started with musical acts from acapella group Exit 69 and Jeremy Messersmith, an indie pop musician based in Minneapolis. Sophomore Zayn Saidullah then took the stage, urging students to vote and volunteer for CarlDems.

Saidullah was followed by brief rallying messages from Steven Simon, the DFL candidate for Minnesota State Secretary, and Mike Obermueller, the DFL House candidate for Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District. Obermueller ran for the 2nd District slot in 2012 and lost against five-term incumbent John Kline.

Franken finally entered the spotlight with gusto. He ran through his platform with his typical comedic edge, highlighting social issues that affect college students such as the cost of college, equal pay across gender and raising the minimum wage. He then introduced Senator Warren from Massachusetts, who was greeted by an overwhelming applause from the audience. Throughout her 20 minute speech, the audience’s roar grew increasingly loud.

Warren insisted in her speech, “the game is rigged, and the Republicans rigged it. We are here today to fight back.” She also went to bat for Franken, saying that he represented the middle classes’ “willingness to fight for the government that we want.”

Speakers continually referenced Paul Wellstone, former senator and Carleton professor. From Saidullah to Franken to Warren, each speaker built on Wellstone’s legacy and encouraged the audience to do its part in furthering Wellstone’s vision.

“Paul Wellstone wanted to make sure everyone had a voice in politics,” Saidullah said.

Franken insisted, “Paul was one of those people that even if you didn’t agree with him at the time, he led to the inspiration of a generation.”

After the formal speeches, Franken and Warren met with volunteers who had knocked on at least 100 doors in a bipartisan effort to encourage voting and to inform voters about the new law that says that people who are in state but cannot get to a polling station can vote from home.

Because the rally occurred at the intersection of parents’ weekend, homecoming and prospective students’ weekend, approximately a third of the crowd consisted of non-college students.

Regardless, the event hyped up the audi- ence for the midterm elections.