Election season is finally upon the people of the United States of America. With incumbent President Donald J. Trump at the head of the Republican side of the presidential race, many Democrats are racing to earn a place atop the polls. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren is currently the frontrunner in the Democratic polls, edging out former Vice President Joe Biden by a small margin, while Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, California Senator Kamala Harris, and Beto O’Rourke, a Democrat who has served as the U.S. Representative for the 16th Congressional District of Texas since 2013, are all also in the running for the top spot.

While Biden was a clear frontrunner to claim the Democratic nomination early on in the election season, recent polls released by RealClearPolitics and The Economist have placed Warren as the favorite. This was demonstrated in the Oct. 16 Democratic debate when numerous candidates questioned Warren for her policies and stances. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar once questioned Warren’s “dreams” regarding a health care plan: “I appreciate Elizabeth’s work… but again, the difference between a plan and a pipe dream is something that you can actually get done.” Warren professionally responded, “Look, I understand that this is hard, but I think as Democrats, we are going to succeed when we dream big and fight hard, not when we dream small and quit before we get started.” Warren’s performance in the debate pleased Americans and furthered her chances to win the Democratic nomination. Senior Djellza Pulatani stated, “I think that Elizabeth Warren executed herself very well during the Democratic debate. It was evident [that] she is the ‘one to beat.’”

On the other hand, Biden’s sub-par performance worsened his chances of winning the top spot. Biden whiffed an answer that he should have been prepared for. Early on, CNN’s Anderson Cooper asked Biden about the controversy surrounding his son, Hunter, being on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company, while Biden was the vice president influencing policy in Ukraine. Biden responded, “My son did nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong. I carried out the policy of the United States in rooting out corruption in Ukraine. That is what we should be focusing on.” This defensive response was not received well. Pulatani said, “In regards to Hunter Biden, I don’t think that anything he was involved in was illegal. However, it being ethical was a different story.” While others rose to the occasion at the debate, viewers such as junior Michael Morelli were not happy with Biden’s performance. Morelli stated, “I think he struggled during the debate, and he came across very defensive. I do not think he is capable of the presidency.” Biden’s poor debate has hurt his public image.

According to a Moody’s Analytics report, President Trump is slated to have another victory in 2020. The report that was Tweeted out on October 15 said early signs point to a Trump victory mostly fueled by a strong economy. Voter turnout may hurt the incumbent because, as the report claims, if turnout among Democrats and Independents match their maximum historical highs, Trump would lose in a tight race. According to The New York Times, Trump has spent the most in online advertisements. He has spent an overwhelming $15.9 million so far. Overall, with regard to all controversy that has been created about Trump, the current president is still slated to once again win the presidency.

The 2020 presidential race seem a tight one thus far. Senior Ethan Marcus stated, “I am excited to vote on my upcoming election because I know that I am making an impact in my government and country.”