Although I am not old enough to vote, I have and will continue to give my full support to Hillary Clinton throughout the 2016 Presidential Election. When talking about why Clinton would be a good president, one will hear phrases like “she’s the most qualified,” or “she has the best plan.” While these are good reasons, they lack the nuance that demonstrates why Clinton is the best presidential candidate for the United States.

Since her first presidential campaign in 2008, I’ve viewed Clinton as someone who exemplifies the very things my family has raised me to value: female empowerment, generosity, open-mindedness, and moderation. Clinton has spent her career improving the lives of those who have been disenfranchised because of their gender, race, or other marginalized identities. From giving kids of low-income families health insurance through the Children’s Health Insurance Program to travelling to Beijing to speak at the UN’s World Conference on Women to advocate for women’s rights, Clinton has a proven track record of standing up for those who need it most. In the current election, Clinton has unapologetically made it clear that she gives her full support to the LGBT community as well as other groups she had unfortunately failed to give previously.

As a vocal Hillary supporter, possibly the most frequent argument in opposition to her I hear is that she is untrustworthy. Many of her opponents and everyday detractors tend to bring up the attack on the American Embassy in Libya which occurred during her term as Secretary of State, in addition to her use of a personal email server as reason for why she is untrustworthy. However, Clinton has gone under the scrutiny of a Congressional Hearing for both of these, and neither time was she convicted nor found guilty of any crime or unlawful action. Most recently, Donald Trump has refused to release his tax returns and has said that he is unable due to an audit by the IRS. The IRS declared this statement untrue. Clinton produced her tax returns without question; this alone demonstrates her higher level of trustworthiness.

The most prominent factor that separates her from Donald Trump is her centrism, which has two advantages. Firstly, it makes her a stronger bipartisan candidate because she will not lean too far to either side of the political spectrum on many important issues, such as foreign and economic policy. In government, nothing can get passed without bipartisan cooperation; party tribalism has lead to the blocking of many liberal policies in the past. This can be seen in the recent congressional vote on gun control. A seemingly bipartisan bill that would prevent suspected terrorists from purchasing firearms was blocked due to senators voting almost exclusively within party lines. Furthermore, my own views are neither strongly liberal nor conservative but they are in line with Hillary Clinton’s, and I trust that she allow our country to progress by working with the currently very divided congress.

Her domestic policies have been developed with the intention of improving the lives of everyday Americans. From increasing the minimum wage to $12 dollars to supporting initiatives to create jobs, Clinton is a strong advocate for the people. Her foreign policy is rooted in these values. She will prioritize our country’s safety, and vows to strengthen our relationship and support of regions such as Europe, East Asia, and Israel. I believe that having strong ties with these regions is critical for America’s well being as it promotes fair trade, economic growth and regional stability.

For these reasons, Hillary Clinton is not only the candidate most representative of my values, but also the most intelligent and prepared.