‘Feel the Bern’ or ‘I’m With Her’? Democratic candidates for election gain traction on campus

One was First Lady, a New York senator and Secretary of State, and the other is the longest-serving Independent in United States Congressional history.

Both former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) are running for the Democratic ticket in the 2016 general election and have a strong following on the Rutgers campus. Student-run organizations like Rutgers for Hillary and Rutgers for Bernie are spearheading support for their campaigns by educating and engaging students.

Rutgers for Hillary stands for three goals: educating peers, engaging supporters and mobilizing people to make a difference on Election Day, said Jeremy Atie, president of Rutgers for Hillary and a School of Arts and Sciences junior. 

“(We do not just educate) about Hillary and her policies, we also educate about the election in general, because it’s really no secret that youth political involvement on campus and around the country is extremely low,” Atie said.

Rutgers for Hillary started in October 2014 — a couple of months before Clinton announced her campaign — and the organization now has 400 supporters online and 60 volunteers, Atie said.

“As long as we educate and we engage people, I don’t think it will be a tough time actually mobilizing them to vote,” he said.

Rutgers for Bernie’s main objective is to support the candidacy of Sanders, but also to promote political awareness in general for the student body, said Nicholas Quinn, president of Rutgers for Bernie and a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore.

“The really important thing Sen. Sanders speaks about all the time is inspiring the youth to become politically engaged, because we are the future and it’s critically important that we start getting involved in politics early, regardless of the party,” Quinn said.

The organization has received a large response from students who are excited to help out that have participated in phone banks and canvassing with the organization New Brunswick for Bernie Sanders, Quinn said.

“We have a lot of students that are very excited to help out. We have an e-board, but they mean nothing if nobody wanted to join. Our goal is to keep everybody informed, inspired and willing to continue Sen. Sanders's campaign,” he said.

Rutgers for Hillary and Rutgers for Bernie have yet to start hosting weekly meetings, but both Atie and Quinn said they have plans in the future to establish a consistent setting for their organizations to congregate.

Atie and Quinn both strongly believe their candidate is the right choice for the Democratic ticket, and are focusing their energy with their organizations to educate people on Clinton’s and Sanders’s policies and beliefs.

“Hillary is a progressive fighter with experience necessary to actually be a successful president,” Atie said. “You can believe in progressive ideas, but ultimately what really matters is when you actually make a change, and throughout her life, her record speaks more than her own voice, and the voice of anybody else criticizing her.”

Clinton championed health care reform as First Lady, traveled to 112 countries as Secretary of State and worked "day and night" to expand democracy around the world, he said.

“The attacks against her right now, like Benghazi and emails, those are just like the new attacks," Atie said. "There have always been people attacking her, because when you’re in politics for as long as she has been, you make a ton of friends, but you also make a ton of enemies."

Sanders is a candidate that has always been a "man for the people," one who has never given in to any corporate interests, big banks or private corporations, Quinn said.

“Yes, he receives money from labor unions, which have an interest, but labor unions are regular people — regular middle class people who are fighting for better working conditions, better wages," he said. "They want some kind of say in their work environment and the compensation for their work."

Quinn believes Sanders is the best candidate because he wants citizens to get out, get involved and get informed so that they are able to make educated decisions on the candidate they choose.

“A lot of people say that the things that Sanders talks about aren’t possible, but if you have a candidate like him and you can rally people together to support someone who truly wants to change America, you have the support of the people (and) anything is possible,” Quinn said.

Atie said he thinks Clinton's perspective on and support toward contemporary issues is the backbone to how she survived in the political world and created change.

“She’s running for president to expand health care, raise wages, to make our country a clean energy superpower, to make sure that Wall Street plays by the rules (and) make college more affordable," Atie said. "But I know that she’s going to bring it, not because she’s saying it, but because her record is what speaks the loudest."

Quinn said Sanders has a chance to win because he is not influenced by corporate interest.

“He really wants to change the political system, mostly the finance system where people really lose faith because all of the politicians are bought out by millionaires and billionaires,” Quinn said.

If students are interested in joining either organization, Atie and Quinn suggest liking the Rutgers for Hillary or Rutgers for Bernie Facebook pages and reaching out via Facebook message to start getting involved.

“If people just have an idea, we’re always open to student input,” Quinn said. “That’s what we’re all about — cooperation with everybody.”