Senator Bernie Sanders, a man who has long been the Democratic nominee underdog, from running against Hillary Clinton in 2016 to facing big names like former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Elizabeth Warren this year, seemed as if all hope was lost, especially considering polls that consistently ranked him among the lower half of candidates. However, it appears that there is still hope for Sanders and his supporters. Tying with former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg in Iowa and winning in New Hampshire, some news sources have begun declaring Sanders the “Democratic nominee frontrunner.” While naming Sanders the frontrunner is certainly a little hasty,, things are going much better than expected for Sanders. 

To many people, it seems at the very least counterintuitive to have the possible face of the Democratic Party be an extremely old white male, since its typical supporters are often younger people and ethnic and racial minorities. While this is no doubt a good case against Sanders, it also leaves out the most important and most overlooked part of winning the nomination. It doesn’t matter what race, gender or age you are, the nomination should go to whoever best represents what the supporters of the Democratic Party want, and Sanders certainly checks that box. Sanders does consistently well with young people who want a break from the traditions and ideals that often plague American politics. His message of altering the Democratic Party to best fit the needs of the people has resonated across America. From health care reform, the federal legalization of marijuana and even a fifteen dollar minimum wage, Bernie Sanders is running very strongly on the “change” ticket that won Obama the presidency just twelve years ago. In a direct election against Trump, Sanders has a better chance than most, if not all, of the other potential nominees , and he has shown this by proving he has the strength, stamina and loyal support that has kept him around, and rather in the lead, this primary election cycle. 

Of course, it is far too early to just call it for Sanders. Buttigieg is not far behind him; in fact, he is on about an equal playing field so far. Other potential candidates also show strong polling numbers against Trump as well. The demographics of Iowa and New Hampshire, which are both in the top U.S. states with the highest white population by percentage, are also important to keep in mind. While Sanders is also popular among minorities, Joe Biden could win the black vote, and with South Carolina and Nevada coming up, there are challenges ahead for Sanders and his campaign. The bar is high this year, especially with such a large group of big league players to choose from. But the people want change, maybe even need change in such a wild and polarized political climate, and Sanders has again and again made it his priority to give the people what they actually want. All we can know for sure is that Bernie Sanders has a lot of momentum, and it’ll be interesting to see if he can convert this momentum into a victory not only in the nomination but for the presidency as well.