Good afternoon, California Democrats!

Thank you so much for having me today and thank you for being on the front line of the resistance to Donald Trump.

I'd also like to thank Alex Rooker for serving as the interim state party chair at such a critical time for California Democrats. And of course, I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Watching Speaker Pelosi outmaneuver Donald Trump again and again has been a remarkable thing of joy to watch. And I am so grateful for her leadership.

Let me also thank Senators Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein for their excellent work in the U.S. Senate. And finally, let me also acknowledge Attorney General Becerra for challenging the Trump administration's unconstitutional and immoral policies. California is blessed to have some remarkable leaders, and our country is better for their service.

 I'm running for president because Donald Trump is fueling a national crisis of division, and it's moving this country backwards. Donald Trump is is threatening our democracy, he is dismantling our healthcare, destroying our planet and creating a culture of hate. He is tearing children from the arms of their mothers, putting them in cages, and in some instances, putting those children up for adoption. Where I come from we call that kidnapping. This is pro life, pro family values? I don't think so.

Donald Trump says we will be tired of winning, but the fact is that too many Americans feel they're stuck with a losing hand. A woman's right to choose is being taken away. The sick and the elderly have to swallow rising premiums in drug costs. Our young people have to bury themselves in a mountain of debt to get a degree.

We know it is absolutely essential to beat Donald Trump, but it is not sufficient. We must address the divisions that are tearing us apart. We must tackle the kitchen table challenges facing Americans.

But let me be clear. If we want to be Donald Trump, and achieve big progressive goals, socialism is not the answer.  [crowd reaction, boos]

I was reelected...I was reelected in a purple state in 2014, one of the worst years for Democrats and a quarter century.

I was...[crowd reaction continues]

You know if we're not careful, we're gonna end up helping to reelect the worst president in American history.

I was one of only two Democrats that year to win in the swing state. As Governor, I worked with nonprofits and business, with Democrats and Republicans, and we achieved big progressive results.

Today, Colorado has near universal health care.

We have the number one economy in the country for three straight years. We will be the first state with broadband is every city and town.

 We were the first purple state to beat the NRA with universal background checks and magazine limits.

We were the first state to force the oil and gas industry to stop methane emissions.

 We made Denver into one of the first cities in the nation to have universal pre K.

When other states were assaulting a woman's inalienable right to control their own bodies, we expanded comprehensive access to long-acting, reversible contraception, and we cut abortion by 64%, and unintended pregnancy by 54% among young women.

Ten years before Ferguson, we passed major police reform in Denver, we created the office of an independent monitor and we created a civilian oversight commission. We also dramatically changed our discipline matrix so that rogue officers could be fired, instead of just given a slap on the wrist.

I am the only person running who has actually done what everyone else is talking about.

And listen, we didn't get any of these big progressive goals done by applying ideological litmus tests. We took a pragmatic approach. We understood that sometimes we'd have to talk to Republicans. We didn't demonize the private sector. We focused above all else, on building an economy that works for everyone, not just in the cities, but for rural communities as well.

Our party needs a nominee who can beat Trump, but also heal this crisis of division.

We need someone who understands that if we're going to create change in our country, it takes more than competing in just 20 states; It takes fighting for every race in every place.

We need someone who will ensure that our state and local parties across the country are strong.

We need a dreamer and the door. We need a progressive and a pragmatist. Now being a pragmatist does not mean saying no to bold ideas. It means knowing how to make them happen.

We shouldn't try to achieve universal coverage by removing private insurance from over 150 million Americans. [boos]

We should not try to tackle climate change by guaranteeing every American a government job. [boos]

Hold on. Hold on.

As the Democratic Party we have to create a vision for this country. I want to give Americans to look forward to tomorrow. As president I will make health care a right, not a privilege with a real public option. I will tackle climate change with a laser focus. I will once and for all take on the NRA and have universal background checks on all gun sales. [Music] I will stop ignoring the two-thirds of Americans and make sure everyone gets the training they need. Thank you very much.