A Woman is Running! A Woman is Running!

By Heather Love

Americans could possibly elect the nation’s first female president in 2016.

Campaign season is gaining momentum with announcements and presidential hopefuls hitting the road visiting several cities.

On April 12, Hillary Clinton announced her candidacy for president by airing a two-minute video that depicted various types of Americans. Clinton appeared in the ad saying, “Everyday Americans need a champion and I want to be that champion.”

Clinton faces plenty of competition as candidates are rallying. Republicans Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Mark Everson and Ben Carson have recently announced their runs. Democrat Bernie Sanders, senator from Vermont, will compete against Clinton. More candidates are likely to announce their runs in the soon future.

Angeles Barron, CSN student, hopes Clinton will last to Election Day this time. After losing the democratic nomination in 2008, Clinton asked her supporters to rally for Barack Obama. It ended it victory for the Democratic Party that continued for two terms.

Electing the first African-American president in 2008 was monumental for the country. Electing a woman as president in 2016 will also be historic for the nation.

Despite progress, the United States still lags many nations in female leadership.

According to a 2015 Rutgers Center for American Women and Politics report, women make up 20 percent of the U.S. Senate and only 19.3 percent of the U.S. House. Statewide, there are only six female governors. Citywide, there are only 16 percent female mayors of the top 100 largest cities.

In 2016 it will become clear if the electorate is prepared to vote a woman into the presidency and if Clinton is that woman.

“It’s about time,” said Amanda Lucero, CSN student. “We’ve had enough male presidents.” Lucero added that she looks forward to a female president who would tackle women’s rights, in particular The Equal Pay Act and rights women should have over their own bodies.

“I am not a huge fan of either party,” said James Palermo, CSN student. “Both genders need to be equal. [We should] not use gender as an excuse during elections.”

Clinton has been Secretary of State, New York Senator, First Lady of the United States, First Lady of Arkansas, lawyer and law professor, and volunteer and activist, according to her website. She currently works with her own Clinton Foundation, which works to promote economic, environmental and health initiatives around the world.

Clinton is currently on the campaign trail with recent stops in Iowa and New Hampshire, according to her official Facebook page.