Millennial Volunteers Flock to Support Clinton

Millennials have been flocking to Clinton's campaign since she began discussing her ideas of how to make an education more affordable and wages higher. With so many appealing ideas for the younger generation, it is no wonder Clinton is one of the Democratic parties favorites.
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Millennials Katie Costella and Jesse Barkin each traveled nearly 1,000 miles to show their support for presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

TOLEDO, IA - "Give us a honk! Honk for Hillary!" Jesse Barkin yelled, as Clinton supporters arrived at the convention center on Monday afternoon. This millennial came all the way from Maine to volunteer for Clinton's campaign.

"I think she represents millennials and pragmatic and progressive thinking," Barkin said. "I think she's the candidate to win so I'm out here doing everything I can in the cold."

Right next to Barkin stood Katie Costella in 10 degrees clutching a 'Hillary for Iowa' sign in her hands. She traveled nearly 1,000 miles from Warrenton, Va. to support Clinton. Both Barkin and Costella, between their chattering teeth, said they were in their mid-20s.

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Costella braves the cold to show her support for Clinton in Iowa.

"It's just her time to get in the White House. We need someone who's going to build on what Obama has done for the past eight years," Costella said. "We need to make sure we don't get a Republican in there that's going to set us back."

Clinton has warned Iowans that if a Republican were to win the election, all of the progress with the Affordable Care Act would be lost. In order to continue to work toward universal healthcare these millennials say Clinton is the candidate to continue Obama's progress.

One issue that Clinton wants to improve upon is the affordability and fair price for men and women when it comes to healthcare.

According to The Center of American Progress, nearly 20 percent* of Millennials were uninsured as of 2014.

"We need to require insurance companies to give people three free visits before their deductible kicks in," Clinton said.

"I think it is so important that she doesn't want us to pay more for healthcare just because we're women," Kelsea Johnson said. The Elon University student is pro-Hillary because of her activism for women's rights. Elon is located in Elon, N.C.

Healthcare has become difficult for many millennials to afford, but so have student loans. With increasing rates students are faced with more expenses then they can afford. College tuition and debt have become hot button issues for younger generations.

According to Pew Research 75 percent** of adults say college is too expensive for most Americans to afford. 57 percent** say that the expense of a college education is not worth their money.

Clinton has created a detailed $350 billion plan that will help students and their families afford a college education to avoid drowning in debt. The plan, the New College Compact, claims students will not be held back by costs and loans.

"I really think that her college affordability plans are really well thought out and achievable," Connor Doyle said.

This 21-year-old Oklahoman and volunteer for the Clinton campaign chose to go to The University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia instead of a school in the United States. This is what prompted this millennial to seek an education outside of the U.S. because the education he was seeking was more affordable overseas.

"I think she's really fighting for families like mine. So that debt is not stacked against us, so that we can really try to get ahead," Doyle said.

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Clinton talks healthcare with Tama County residents.

During the event Clinton outlined her education plans for the U.S. saying, if she were president she would make community colleges free and public universities debt free.

"I want you to be able to have an endpoint to your debt, so that you're not paying for it when you're in a nursing home," Clinton said.

Millennials have been flocking to Clinton's campaign since she began discussing her ideas of how to make an education more affordable and wages higher. With so many appealing ideas for the younger generation, it is no wonder Clinton is one of the Democratic parties favorites.

*The Center for American Progress, 2014
**2012 Pew Research Study: The Future of Higher Education

Co-written and reported by Lindsey Gomez

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