When Clinton announced her intention to run for president on the Democratic ticket in April, liberal voters were divided. Some, impressed by her record as First Lady, Senator and Secretary of State, have embraced her. Others are concerned that she has been in politics for too long and are looking for a fresh face, which may account for Bernie Sanders’s success in recent polls. Those who discount Clinton because she has been in politics for two decades are passing up the Democrat’s best hope of winning the 2016 election, and must reconsider.

As First Lady in the ‘90s, the nation saw Clinton promote health care reform, international diplomacy and women’s rights through the establishing of the office of Violence Against Women at the Department of Justice. As a New York senator, she expanded upon these and other achievements, including securing funds for the redevelopment of the World Trade Center and improving health rights for veterans. As Secretary of State, she repaired this country’s reputation abroad after the Wikileaks cable release and advocated for greater U.S. prominence in the global economic sphere. Her accomplishments signify that she is strong candidate who has assumed varying responsibilities in government through decades of experience. Each role provided her with experience which she has used as a solid foundation with which to springboarded presidential aspirations.

The most prominent criticism of Clinton’s campaign has been that she will bring scandal back to the White House, from the Lewinsky scandal in the ‘90s to her actions after Islamic militants attacked the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. Where some will see this previous scandal as a reason not to vote for Clinton, her history is maturity that she has under her belt — added experience that will only enhance her decisions moving forward. Her extensive history in the Washington’s upper echelons has prepared her with the proper attitude in which to handle this position, but she offers a mind, a way of thinking, different from that of everyone else. This is what sets Clinton apart as a candidate.
Finally, being a woman offers Clinton an insight on the pressing issues of today’s world – an insight never seen in a presidential candidate, something which Bernie Sanders or this election’s crop of Republican candidates cannot. Clinton’s goals to tackle long-term issues such as health care system, education and gun control prove that as a candidate she is highly versatile and has a magnificent vision for the future of this country. Hillary Clinton makes a formidable, undeniably skilled, practiced, able-minded and standout candidate, ready to take the presidential election of 2016 by storm.

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Email Sydney Reynolds at [email protected].