Let us all agree that this presidential race has been intriguing, to say the least.

If someone had told us four years ago that Donald Trump would be running for president while the first ever Jewish, Democratic socialist candidate would be a serious front runner, we would have probably laughed in that person’s face. But now as the race gets closer to the finish line, with the Iowa and New Hampshire caucuses behind us and multiple candidates on both sides having dropped out, we are starting to take this race more seriously.

Hillary Clinton, as some would say, is the obvious choice for the Democratic nomination. While her credentials are impressive and the idea of having our first female commander-in-chief is exciting, many voters have sided with Bernie Sanders, including the feminist population. As opposed to her bid back in 2008, where she had thousands of female supporters and volunteers working for her campaign against Barack Obama, the climate she faces now has changed and evolved.

Sanders is appealing to young voters with his liberal ideologies. Not to mention the Democratic socialist approach to issues like health care, college and the minimum wage. Young Americans everywhere and even some of the older generations are backing him in his race to the White House. He has a record of being progressive while simultaneously being consistent in his voting records and platforms.

The Vermont senator is also being hailed as a true and honest politician; he refuses to take money from large corporations and instead finances his campaign on donations and backings from countless unions.

While the new voters of 2008, kids who were in college, witnessed our nation swear in its first African-American president, this generation, the last of the ’90s babies and the millennials, are bearing witness to something likened to a political revolution.

At the center of this revolution is Sanders. Along with his left wing positions, his “Not for Sale” mindedness and his everyday man persona, Sanders has also identified with feminists and the female voter population. Some would say it is because he is more vocal about equal pay and reproductive rights; others will use the argument that he is simply the more trustworthy democratic candidate.

Let us be real here; those who support and plan on voting for Hillary simply because she is a woman are not feminists. Feminism is centered around the idea that women and men are each other’s equals in every way.

In 2008, Hillary gained support and revved up her followers with the words, “I could be the first woman who serves as President of the United States.” Now, in 2016, she is still using the same method to appeal to voters, but as polls would show, it is not as effective this time around. While she reportedly won the Iowa caucus, Bernie clearly won New Hampshire.

Hillary has been known to “flip flop” her stances a myriad of times in order to get more votes rather than standing true to what she actually believes in. She is not as liberal and open-minded as her opponent and she has also had her campaign financially supported by multi-million dollar corporations. Most Democratic voters would agree that she lacks the relatability needed to appeal to the working class majority that exists within the Democratic Party.

Feminists side more with Bernie because he supports an economy that would enable the majority of working class people to support themselves and their families more than they are able to do now. He also appears in advertisements, stating that, “No one has the right to tell a woman what to do with her body.”

When it comes to reproductive rights, any candidate that would support a woman’s right to choose is probably going to garner more votes and popularity. But when a candidate is outspoken about reproductive rights and has fought for women’s health clinics and institutions like Planned Parenthood, that candidate will win the overall support.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the writer and are not representative of The Slate or its staff as a whole. 

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