The 2016 Presidential Election is one of the most anticipated elections to date, causing many supporters of rivaling candidates to start riots and initiating fights at rallies. The current Democratic candidates are Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, with Hillary currently leading. The Republican candidates are Donald Trump, John Kasich, and Ted Cruz. Marco Rubio, a former republican candidate, dropped out of the presidential race after losing the Florida primaries to Trump. Florida is Rubio’s home state.

The reason that this election is so anticipated is because of the strong opinions of many supporters. Donald Trump, known for his somewhat outrageous comments and claims, is either strongly hated or strongly loved by voters. Regardless, Trump is somewhat far ahead in the Republican polls. He is criticized for not having any “true” political experience, and only being so successful because of his family fortune and inherited business. He  is said not to think before he speaks, leading to many of his somewhat ridiculous comments. One of his most famous claims promises to build a great wall along our southern border and forcing Mexico to pay for it.

On the Democratic side, as I previously mentioned, Hillary is currently ahead of opponent Bernie Sanders. Many support Hillary because she would be the first female president, and voters argue that she is the most qualified to become president. Bernie would be the first Jewish president if he won, and many support him because of his opinions on less expensive tuition at public colleges and universities.

Overall, each candidate has their pros and cons that appeal to different supporters. We will just have to wait and see which candidate becomes our next president. Unfortunately, most of us here at the high school cannot vote, but it is still important to be educated about the issues and have conversations with those who can vote about their opinions.