The top two presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, fight from drastically different platforms for their respective parties’ nomination in the 2016 presidential election.
Clinton, a former secretary of state, first lady and senator, is one of the Democratic presidential candidates hoping to earn the nomination and eventually a seat in the White House. Hillary Clinton met her husband, former President Bill Clinton, in law school. Together they have a daughter, Chelsea Clinton.
In 2008, Clinton tried at her first bid for the White House. When she was not chosen for the Democratic nomination, the then-nominee who went on to win the presidency, Barack Obama, asked for her to serve as Secretary of State. According to Clinton’s campaign website, “[Clinton] was a forceful champion for human rights, internet freedom, and rights and opportunities for women and girls, [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] people and young people all around the globe.”
UA Young Democrats President Joseline Mata watched the first Democratic Debate on Tuesday night and said she thought Clinton stood out.
“She was very poised, she answered very professionally and she definitely knew what she was saying,” Mata said. “I really think she did a really great job on distinguishing herself. … I definitely think she’s still at the top and definitely won the debate.”
Donald Trump, chairman and president of The Trump Organization, is one of the Republican Presidential candidates also hoping to earn the nomination and call the White House home for the next four years after President Obama’s term. A New York native, Donald Trump is married to Melania Trump. Together they have five children: Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka, Eric, Tiffany and Barron.
The Emmy-nominated presidential hopeful has seven million followers on social media and “frequently uses this platform to advocate for Conservative causes, Republican candidates and to educate the public on the failures of the Obama administration,” according to Trump’s campaign website.
Although Trump is currently the Republican candidate polling the highest, it’s by a small margin. According to a CBS News poll conducted between Oct. 4-8, Trump has only a 6 percent lead over neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson.
Ashlee Bierworth, president of the UA College Republicans, believes Trump’s performance in debates has allowed other candidates to close the gap in polling.
“I think that Trump will continue to lose his lead in the primaries and the debates unless he comes up with clear and smart policy positions and plans,” Bierworth wrote in an email.
Mata and Bierworth agree that immigration is an important topic.
According to Clinton’s website, she will advocate for a path to citizenship to those in America illegally rather than separating families, support President Obama’s executive actions regarding DREAMers’ risk of deportation, and support a humane common-sense approach to border security.
Mata said she is happy to see that Clinton has taken a stance on immigration and given specific guidelines to her reform plan. Trump on the other hand, has three principles to his immigration plan, according to his website: there must be a wall at the border, laws must be enforced, and an immigration plan must improve jobs, wages and security for all Americans.
Although Clinton’s and Trump’s stances on gun rights vary, they both agree on one thing: working to solve the mental health crisis.
“Hillary will fight to improve existing law prohibiting persons suffering from severe mental illness from purchasing or possessing a gun,” according to her website.
According to Trump’s website, “We need to expand treatment programs, because most people with mental health problems aren’t violent, they just need help. But for those who are violent, a danger to themselves or others, we need to get them off the street before they can terrorize our communities.”
While both candidates have different stances on many of the issues important to Americans, Mata and Bierworth agree that both candidates have flaws and hurdles to overcome. Mata said the question of Clinton being a progressive could have a negative effect on her campaign, but thinks Clinton did well at the debate addressing the issue, saying she’ll work to get things done regardless of the polarization of politics.“The huge obstacle that Trump will need to overcome is the fact that he has not come up with a rational and effective plan to any of the issues facing our country today, and the public is starting to realize that,” Bierworth wrote.
Despite their differing political views, Mata and Bierworth look forward to the rest of the campaign season.
Bierworth wrote, “there will be an interesting fight for [the Democratic] nominee between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, and while I disagree with all of their policy positions, I am excited to see how the primaries will end on both sides.”
