Democratic Candidates

Hillary Clinton – Hillary Clinton is a former senator, secretary of state and first lady contending for the presidency for the second time. Clinton believes the president should yield deportation for some immigrants, giving undocumented residents a path to citizenship. She would like to see more studies done on marijuana before finalizing a decision on whether or not to legalize it. Clinton supports lawful citizen’s right to own guns, but would like to keep guns out of the wrong hands. She supports the Affordable Care Act, and plans to strengthen it. Clinton believes in marriage equality and legal access to abortions. Additionally, she plans to close loopholes in corporate tax and cut taxes for the middle class.

Bernie Sanders – Running as a democrat with socialist views, Bernie Sanders has run in six statewide elections in Vermont and acts as a member of congress. Sanders has taken a proactive stance against the dangers of climate change and plans to charge companies for their carbon emissions.  Along with reforming student loans, he would grant 18 billion dollars to state governments, allowing them to cut state tuition by 55 percent. As far as gun control, Sanders’ stance is mixed. In the past he has voted against pro gun control bills, but has voted for banning assault weapons. Sanders proposes a healthcare program provided to all Americans by federal and state governments. He believes in offering a path to citizenship for all immigrants, and waiving some deportations. Sanders has supported equal pay for women and LGBT rights his whole career. Finally, Sanders has plans to raise some taxes on the wealthy, and cut taxes for the middle class.

GOP Candidates

Ted Cruz – Former prosecutor and senator, Ted Cruz is the son of a Cuban immigrant and preacher. Cruz supports a single tax rate for all American, regardless of income and has plans to abolish the IRS. He wants to repeal Obamacare, and believes in strict limits on abortions. He believes states have the choice to define marriage, and believes only the states outlined in the supreme court’s same-sex marriage ruling have to follow the law. Cruz strongly supports a citizen’s right to own firearms and is against expanding background checks on gun purchases. Cruz is against any plans to let undocumented immigrants legally remain in the U.S. and has attempted to strengthen border security in the past by tripling border officers and quadrupling their equipment.

Donald Trump – Donald Trump is a billionaire businessman, running a wide variety of businesses. Believing that automatic budget cuts do not go far enough, Trump plans to cut more government spending. He believes climate change is a hoax, and thinks marriage is strictly between a man and a woman. Trump calls for limiting abortions and gun restrictions, banning assault weapons and extending the waiting period for gun purchase. He urges economic growth in order to save programs like Social Security and Medicare. He takes a strong stance against immigration, offering no path to citizenship for undocumented workers, but calling for an expansion of legal immigration from Europe and giving legal status to foreign students who complete a degree at an American university. Trump plans to end corporate taxes and lower individual taxes, reducing the national debt with a one time tax on the wealthy.

Marco Rubio – Marco Rubio was first a law school student, then a congressional intern, which eventually landed him the title of Florida’s youngest-ever state House speaker. Rubio plans to balance the nation’s budget, prioritizing defense. He does believe in climate change, but does not think it is human-caused. Rubio believes marriage is between a man and a woman, but says Americans must abide by the Supreme Court decisions to legalize same-sex marriage. In the past, Rubio has voted against bills that would expand background checks on gun purchases and has proposed bills that would make gun purchases easier. He believes in banning abortions after 20 weeks, with exceptions, and repealing the Affordable Care Act. He plans to cut corporate taxes and simplify the tax code.