With election season in full swing, it’s hard not to pay attention to it. Every other commercial on TV, ad on the Internet and topic on the news is about who’s leading where. The campaign and poll numbers of Deez Nuts, the 15-year-old independent candidate from Iowa, has dwindled down as we watched Donald Trump’s numbers soar. Currently, the candidates have been traveling to swing states such as New Hampshire and Iowa in hopes of gaining more support and votes. If you haven’t been following, here’s a rundown of the four leading candidates, their ideas, beliefs and current standings.
Former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is currently leading in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. As a former senator from New York, First Lady, and former Secretary of State, it’s clear Clinton has experience, and she’s taking every advantage that has come with her past in politics. Hillary's campaign is based on the beliefs that women should have full autonomy over their bodies, workers should be paid an increased minimum wage and the gender wage gap must finally be fully closed. She also supports college students receiving debt relief and colleges and universities being held accountable for creating successful and manageable outcomes for students. According to the Huffington Post polling data, Hillary is currently leading at 51.6 percent. For more information, check out the link.
Senator Bernie Sanders is a Democrat and a Socialist, once mocked by the media but now soaring in the polls. Like Hillary, Bernie has had a long career in politics. A former mayor of Burlington, Vt., who's also had a seat in the House of Representatives and the Senate, Sanders has been a leading progressive voice on LGBT rights, climate change, income equality and parental lead since the beginning of his career. Sanders has campaigned with beliefs in tuition-free universities, closing the gender pay gap, protecting women’s reproductive rights and making war a last option. Sanders has been closing the gap between himself and Hillary at 39.7 percent, according to Real Clear Politics. For more information, check it out here.
If one were to look up "the opposite of Bernie Sanders” in the dictionary, there would be a picture of Donald Trump, the leading Republican candidate. A real estate mogul, former host and producer of "The Apprentice," and infamous outspoken billionaire, Trump is currently gaining in the polls at 37.2 percent. Donald Trump has spoken largely about strengthening American economy, most notably stating that he would reform immigration by building a physical wall between the U.S. and Mexico and monitoring U.S. citizens who identify as Muslim. While many of Trump's claims seemed to be bizarre and incredibly different than what American has seen over the past eight years, he’s currently leading in the polls at 37.2 percent, making the possibility of President Trump closer than we could have ever thought. For more information, go here.
Gaining more and more percentages behind Trump is former Texas senator Ted Cruz. A Canadian-born, but naturalized American citizen like Bernie, Cruz has surpassed his haters and gained notoriety these past weeks, having 19.2 percent of the Republican votes, according the Huffington Post. Unlike his Democratic opponents, Cruz has mostly focused on economic and political reforms for America. He believes that America should restore the Constitutional beliefs our founding fathers created, such as strengthening the First and Second Amendment. Unlike his opponent Trump, Ted Cruz addresses women’s and gay rights on his website. He argues that Planned Parenthood should be investigated and defunded, opposes abortion and believes marriage is solely between one man and one woman.
While Hillary and Trump may be leading the races, the two to keep an eye on are Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders. Even if you don’t follow politics, following these four candidates is guaranteed to be entertaining. Numbers and polling will continue to be close, so every vote counts. Voting is your opportunity to tell your country what you want for its future. You have a voice in future decisions made by future leaders.
