Nicholas Souza, News/Online Editor

After months of campaigning, the first step of the presidential nomination process kicks off on Feb. 1 during the Iowa Caucus. These primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire are crucial in determining how a candidate will do with the rest of American voters and who will be the nominee of the parties.

Based on recent CNN/ORC polling, Clinton and Sanders are the top two presumptive Democratic nominees and Trump and Cruz are the top two presumptive Republican nominees. Voting for a candidate involves understanding what the big issues and which candidate aligns mostly with the voter’s views.

Democrats

Hillary Clinton

Party: Democrat

Experience: Former First Lady, Former Senator from New York, and Former Secretary of State.

Education: Supports free tuition at community college

Healthcare: Supports Affordable Care Act, and is pro-choice

Immigration: Supports path to citizenship for undocumented citizens

Same-sex Marriage: Supports same-sex marriage rights

Climate Change: Supports a move toward cleaner and renewable energy

Gun Control: Supports ban on assault weapons, federal legislation for comprehensive background checks, and closing of gun show and Internet loopholes

Economy: Supports tax increase on the wealthy, raising the minimum wage,

Bernie Sanders

Party: Democrat

Experience: Senator from Vermont, Former Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee

Education: All public colleges and universities should be tuition free and student loan interest rates should be lowered

Healthcare: Supports moving toward a single-payer healthcare system

Immigration: Supports path to citizenship, VISA reform and securing the border

Same-sex Marriage: Supports same-sex marriage rights

Climate Change: Supports a move toward cleaner and renewable energy

Gun Control: Supports a federal ban on assault weapons and other increases in gun control

Economy: Supports tax increases on the wealthy, believes that criminal justice and immigration policies perpetuate poverty and income inequality, supports increasing minimum wage, and supports income equality for women.

Republicans

Donald Trump

Party: Republican

Experience: Chairman and President of The Trump Organization

Education: Opposes Common Core and support a decrease in education funding

Healthcare: Supports repealing the Affordable Care Act and is pro-life

Immigration: Against legalizing undocumented citizens, believes in deportation of undocumented citizens and building a wall along the southern border.

Same-sex Marriage: Opposes same-sex marriage but supports legislation to protect against discriminating against people based on sexual orientation

Climate Change: Does not believe in climate change and opposes any new regulations

Gun Control: Opposes new restrictions

Economy: Supports reduction in tax rates, simplifying the tax code, income equality for women, and opposes a minimum wage increase

Ted Cruz

Party: Republican

Experience: Senator from Texas

Education: Opposes Common Core and voted against deceasing interest rates on student loans

Healthcare: Supports repealing the Affordable Care Act and is pro-life

Immigration: Against legalizing undocumented citizens

Same-sex Marriage: Does not support marriage equality and believes that the states have the right to ban same-sex marriage in their states.

Climate Change: Does not believe in climate change, opposes any new regulations and supports the ends of certain EPA regulation

Gun Control: Opposes new restrictions

Economy: Supports a flat national tax rate