With talk of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Elections fresh in the news, the debate over the candidates has begun to heat up at Prairie Ridge. Current seniors and some juniors will be able to vote in the November elections, and many seniors will be heading to the polls in the March 15th Illinois primary.

Recently, Democratic candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton have been battling it out, while the Republican contest still includes several major candidates like Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and others. Third parties like the Libertarian Party and the Green Party are also looking to choose their nominees. At this point, the races for the party nominations are only getting started. So who exactly are the major candidates?

Click on the candidates’ names to view their official position pages.

Hillary Rodham Clinton (D.) has served as Secretary of State, a U.S. senator, and the first lady of the U.S. under Former President Bill Clinton. Clinton tends to focus on women’s and family issues like guaranteeing 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave and cutting taxes on working families. She also wants to pursue social policies that intend to help minorities and the disabled. On many other issues, including healthcare and foreign policy, she wants to continue or expand on President Obama’s policies.

Rafael Edward Cruz (R.) has served most notably as the Solicitor General of Texas and a U.S. senator currently in his first term. His main platform includes focusing on religious freedom, protecting the Second Amendment, challenging same-sex marriage and Planned Parenthood, using a flat tax rate for all Americans, cracking down on illegal immigration, and getting rid of government agencies like the Department of Education and the IRS. On foreign policy, Sen. Cruz believes in taking a very large role in international anti-terror operations.

Marco Antonio Rubio (R.) has served as the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and is currently a U.S. senator in his first term. His positions involve strengthening family values, protecting the Second Amendment, reviving small businesses, helping veterans and senior citizens, and repealing agricultural regulations. Sen. Rubio’s foreign policy focuses on being proactive and aggressive against terrorism and other national security threats.

Bernard Sanders (D.) has served as mayor of Burlington, Vermont, a congressman in the House of Representatives for 16 years, and a U.S. senator currently in his second term. Sen. Sanders tends to focus on economic issues such as raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, making college tuition free, raising taxes on the wealthy, and providing campaign finance reform. He also believes in providing healthcare to all Americans and combating climate change. On foreign policy, Sen. Sanders wants to use war only as a last option.

Donald John Trump, Sr., (R.) is a business owner and media personality. His main positions include a strong immigration policy (involving an end to birthright citizenship), a firm defense of the Second Amendment right to bear arms, a strengthening of domestic manufacturing, and tax reform to lower taxes on the working and middle class and businesses. He also takes a firm line on U.S.-China trade and wants reforms for the Veterans Administration.

Benjamin Solomon Carson (Ben Carson) and John Richard Kasich are also running for the Republican party.

Arguably the two largest third-parties, the Libertarian Party and the Green Party, also run candidates in presidential elections. These parties, like the Democrats and Republicans, have yet to choose their nominees. The Libertarian Party tends to be right-of-center, focusing on cutting the size of the federal government and supporting the rights of individual citizens, and the Green Party tends to be left-of-center, focusing on countering global warming with strong environmental policies and fighting for social justice.

Which candidate will receive the party nomination? (Vote for 1 Republican and 1 Democrat.)

• Bernie Sanders (D) (29%, 29 Votes)
• Donald Trump (R) (26%, 26 Votes)
• Hillary Clinton (D) (18%, 18 Votes)
• Ted Cruz (R) (11%, 11 Votes)
• John Kasich (R) (10%, 10 Votes)
• Marco Rubio (R) (6%, 6 Votes)

Total Voters: 70

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