With the upcoming presidential election, falling leaves are not the only indications of a new season. As the 2016 republican presidential candidates compete for the White House, America prepares for the media mania.
Only 19.9 percent of citizens ages 18 to 29 voted in the 2014 elections, the lowest numbers recorded in federal history, according to civicyouth.org.  For the forthcoming May election, polls suggest around 60 percent of young people will not cast a vote, according to the telegraph.co.uk. The Telegraph also believes it is important for America’s youth to be informed about political current events.
The 2016 republican candidates are a diverse mix of politicians and businesspersons.

The next candidate is Texas Senator, Mr. Ted Cruz. Graduating magna cumlaude from both Princeton and Harvard Law according to nypost.com, he is known as intellectually inclined.  President Bush appointed Mr. Cruz as an Associate Deputy Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice in 2001, giving him experience working in the White House. In the senate, Cruz worked towards defunding Obama Care, an effort that caused him to both gain and lose supporters, according to the Business Insider.  
Junior Senator of Florida Mr. Marco Rubio often speaks of his self-made Cuban parents making a new life in America.
With his rising numbers in the polls, Mr. Rubio is gaining support for his policies. He opposes tax increases, is pro-life, and supports a more liberal immigration policy, according to ontheissues.org.
The next presidential candidate is former Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland, Dr. Ben Carson. Dr. Carson has written a series of books, one of which, One Nation, recognizes a decline in morals in America’s government, according to washingtonpost.com. Additionally, Dr. Carson rose substantially with a nine percent lead over Mr. Trump in Iowa, according to politico.com. As an advocate for a government sponsored health savings account, he wants citizens to save money and have covered health care needs. 
Advanced Placement United States History student junior Katie Kablack considers Dr. Carson appealing to those who want a fresh leader.
“I believe Carson brings a new perspective to the debates. He does not hold back his opinions,” Katie said.
Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, currently serving his second term as governor, braves moderate-to-conservative views in a highly democratic state. Additionally, he rebutted voters’ concerns regarding his health with an estimated 90 to 100 pound weight loss, according to nbcnews.com.
Former governor of Arkansas, Mr. Mike Huckabee is also known as a television personality on Fox News’ Huckabee. As a former preacher, Huckabee can capture the attention of the conservative republican base. However, according to CNN, he did not perform well in the debates by neglecting to oppose fellow candidates on major issues.  
Governor of Ohio John Kasich has had steady success throughout his political career. He was the youngest member of the United States Senate for Ohio. Mr. Kasich proposed a plan to balance the federal budget within eight years by creating jobs and cutting taxes, according to washingtonexaminer.com.
Lastly, Rand Paul is running alongside the aforementioned presidential candidates. He began his position as Senator in the United States Senate in 2010. The same year, Mr. Paul received over $430,000 in donations within 24 hours of releasing his campaign, creating political online history in Kentucky. His strong views on the protection of individual liberty have made voters consider him a more of a libertarian opposed to a strict republican, according to 2016.republican-candidates.org.  
Mr. Badagliacca is excited to see the race progress with such a diverse lineup of candidates.
‘This is a fascinating political year,” Mr. Badagliacca said. “There is diversity among the people running – governors, senators, business leaders, women, men, republicans, democrats, and even a socialist.  I think this is healthy. The more we talk about the issues from different perspectives, the better it is for our republic.'”
Another republican debate aired Wednesday October 28 on CNBC at 8 pm eastern time. The candidates were invited to the Coors Events Center at the University of Colorado in Boulder to speak, according to politico.com. During this debate, the candidates issued the fiercest attacks on the media in the 2016 election season. There were many tense moments; both Mr. Rubio and Mr. Trump accused moderators of false information, according to CNN. Polls are also shifting as both Mrs. Fiorina and Mr. Bush have dropped, while Mr. Carson and Mr. Trump are competing for the top, according to elections.huffingtonpost.com.
– Christina Weiler, Staff Writer