Now that I'm legally allowed to vote for the upcoming presidential election, I've been trying to keep up with the ongoing debates, press conferences, and twitter updates from the running candidates. With over 16 Republican and nine Democratic candidates currently in the running to be our countries next leader, it's difficult to keep up with everyone.

Luckily, there have been a few candidates that have stood out. For instance, Hillary Clinton is making headlines as the potential first female president, or Donald Trump who has absolutely no political background. While the options may be broad, one candidate has stood out to me, specifically: Bernie Sanders, a Democrat and independent representative for Vermont in the House and Senate for the last 25 years is a force to be reckoned with.

He Marched For Civil Rights While In College
Sanders was part of a group of students from Chicago who traveled by bus from Vermont in 1963 to the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

He Has Listed His Top 18 Priorities On The Senate Website
Sanders' top 5 priorities are civil liberties, war and peace, women's rights, dental care, and education. You can read about his stance on every subject on his Senate webpage.

He Once Spoke On The Senate Floor For 8 Hours Straight
In December of 2010, he spoke for eight hours straight in hopes of undoing what he considered to be tax breaks for the rich.

He's A Firm Believer In Women's Rights
Sanders has stated that he believes women should have the right to her own body and the decision should be between her and her doctor, and no one else. He also plans to create equal pay in the work place.

He Holds Strong Family Values
Sanders supports the FAMILY Act which would guarantee every American worker 12 weeks of paid medical and family leave, as well as mandatory paid vacation time, something many companies don't offer their employees.

He Wants To Make College More Affordable
Sanders believes that at a time when higher education in the United States is far more expensive than in any other country, we must alleviate the burden of student loan debt by guaranteeing affordable loans to students, and allowing graduates to refinance their federal student loans to take advantage of lower interest rates.

He Believes All Americans Should Be Given Health Care
On August 9, Sanders tweeted out "I want to know why the US is the only major country on Earth that doesn't provide healthcare to all of its people". Since representing Vermont, he has vastly expanded the health care centers in Vermont, and plans to do so for the entire country.

At the ripe age of 73, Sanders is the oldest candidate running for office, but his views match up with much of our generation's concerns and views. Trailing behind Clinton by 35.6 points, Sanders is in second place for the Democratic candidate spot.

To read more about Bernie Sanders and his views, visit http://www.sanders.senate.gov.