Bernie Sanders will return to Illinois Monday as he continues to pick up steam ahead of the state's primary Tuesday.
The Vermont senator is expected to end his day with an appearance at the Auditorium Theater at Chicago's Roosevelt University. Doors for the free rally open at 8:30 p.m. but the event begins at 10:30 p.m.
Sanders last appeared in the area at a rally in suburban Summit Friday, where he criticized Mayor Rahm Emanuel for "shutting down school after school and firing teachers."
"Mayor Emanuel had a choice: He could stand with the children or he could stand with Wall Street," Sanders said. "He made the wrong choice."
After a surprise upset in Michigan, Illinois is more in play than ever in the Democratic presidential primary.
According to a recent WSJ/NBC News/Maris poll of likely Illinois voters, Sanders is gaining ground on Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.
Clinton, an Illinois native, leads Sanders 51 percent to 45 percent in Illinois.
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Clinton also appeared in Chicago Monday, where she held a rally at the Plumbers JAC Local Union.
