We asked students who they’re voting for next week

The Delaware presidential primary is quickly approaching and UD students are taking notice. The messages we hear replayed in the media sometimes overshadow the diversity of opinions on our campus. Millennials are projected to overtake Baby Boomers this year so there has never been a more important time for our generation to vote – because our vote has never been more important.

However, the amount of sources available for political information can seem overwhelming to the average student. The election has been covered on virtually every news outlet and this cycle has been especially divisive. It may seem difficult to keep up or begin to follow the election when it may seem like joining a conversation that is halfway through.

To highlight the different viewpoints on UD’s campus, we’ve featured five different students who are passionate about a presidential candidate. These students gave a few examples of what they are most concerned about in the upcoming election and it got a little heated.

Bernie Sanders

Jen Kuhn – Class of 2017, International Relations

“I’m voting for Bernie Sanders because I believe that unlike other candidates, Sanders has continuously demonstrated his political views and values are not swayed by outside corporate influence. I personally feel the influence of large corporations on our political system, particularly in regards to blocking environmental programs, is the single largest threat to our country’s collective future.

“Sanders is the most transparent of any candidate running which is an important factor for me when looking at a political leader. While I understand that Sanders is often dubbed as too overly idealistic, particularly in his social and economic promises, I feel that his plan to raise taxes for the wealthiest earners in the country as well as his support of diving commercial and investment banking are both realistic and smart economic proposals. I also support Sander’s campaigns for women’s reproductive rights as well as his condemnation of criminal laws, which disproportionately target minority populations. “

Hillary Clinton

John Connors – Class of 2016, Political Science

“I support Hillary Clinton because she is pragmatic and has common sense solutions. She has experience and knows how to play the political game in a way that no other candidate does.”

John Kasich

Lydia Joy – Class of 2018, Communication and Political Science

“Since the candidates I preferred dropped out of the race, if I were voting now I would choose to vote for John Kasich. He is one of the few Republican candidates who is both fiscally conservative and socially moderate, which is important to me because I am definitely more on the moderate side.

“Since he was a successful Governor of Ohio in the past, he has a lot of experience with accomplishing political change as opposed to the other candidates who do not have as successful of a record. In Ohio, he was successful in reducing the debt and unemployment rate, which I believe are very important issues to be fixed nationally.

“It’s really concerning that Trump is the leading Republican candidate given that he is not an accurate representation of the Republican Party and has such radical views on issues that could be handled much better.”

Ted Cruz

Jared Medrano – Class of 2018, Political Science

“I support Senator Cruz because he has a profound understanding of the US Constitution, how our government was supposed to structured, and how we can fix the areas in which the government is failing. I like that his focus policy wise is on reigning in the size of the too-large federal government and managing it responsibly.

“In addition, I appreciate that he is known as a principled man who keeps promises to his constituents and stands up to both parties when he sees them as being corrupt. I believe that the United States needs an intelligent, trustworthy leader who is willing to reform the corrupt political system and will truly mean it when he swears to “preserve, protect, and defend” the Constitution. Ted Cruz is the only candidate who fits my preferences.”

Donald Trump

Paul McCormac – Class of 2017, Political Science

“I like Trump due mainly to his foreign policy. He understands we must remain powerful, but also must let the conflicting countries and their neighbors handle most of their issues on their own such as with Syria and its Civil War. If we always step in it will cause these countries to become dependent on help and also unable to deal with any issue on their own.

“Him being a businessman means that he sees everything as a deal and he must close it. He’ll negotiate first and respond with knee-jerk reactions last. A big issue people see with him is his stance on immigration. Many fail to understand that he is against illegal immigration. He understands the economic issues with illegal immigrants coming into America, but also understands the benefits of legal immigrants coming into America.

“I’m a bit hesitant of him saying he will deport all the illegal immigrants they find and those without criminal records being allowed back in due to our shoddy immigration process and how much it would cost to find them. On the Syrian refugees topic: I do agree we must be cautious with letting in refugees by the thousands from countries in turmoil and suffering from terrorism. Federal background checks don’t always work and Obama has even stated this on the issue of gun legislation. We halted immigration from China in the past so I see no problem with doing it now if need be. His comment about keeping tabs on Muslims currently in America does not sit well with me and luckily no one in Congress would allow this even if he still believes it should be done.

“The man isn’t perfect but he’s different from all the other politicians and seems more down to earth.”