With Election Day just around the corner, the public has come to be familiar with their presidential candidates. However, the candidates for the California seat for the U.S. senate have fallen under the radar with their lack of fundraising for advertising themselves.

Many voters remain unaware of their platforms because of the lack of advertising for either candidate, but a Senator’s role in the government is crucial to our nation since his/her duty is to approve or reject treaties and presidential nominations for government offices.

The spot became available when Barbara Boxer announced that her current term, which ends at the beginning of 2017, would be her last. After the primaries in June, two Democratic candidates have stuck out as the front runners on the ballot: Kamala Harris and Loretta Sanchez.

Harris has served as the attorney general of California since November, 2010. She has been working in the Bay Area for the majority of her career and was San Francisco’s District Attorney from 2004-2010. She was also nominated for a position on the Supreme Court earlier this year but another candidate was chosen.

Harris is for the death penalty, against regulations on immigrations, and promotes equality for all people. 

Loretta Sanchez, a U.S. Representative, has been serving in a district in Southern California since 1996. She has served on multiple committees, including Armed Services and Homeland Security.

The two candidates have opposing views on several hot-button issues. Harris is in favor of the death penalty and says that she would want to review each case carefully to determine if death is the right punishment. Sanchez, on the other hand, is adamantly against it due to her opinion that the death penalty has no place in due process.

Another subject that the two do not agree on is illegal immigration. Harris does not want to hold anyone back from coming into this country and believes they should not be kicked out if they are already living here.

Sanchez does not agree with the idea of illegal immigration and strongly believes in tightening our border security and requiring that all immigration into the U.S. be done legally. While Harris and Sanchez have their differences, they do agree on other matters such as climate change and opposing the TransPacific Trade Partnership.

“2016 has been the hottest year in Earth’s recorded history and the average level of carbon dioxide has passed 400 ppm, which has been considered to point of no return. Our country needs the right leaders that can lead us into a cleaner planet,” says Lomeli-Barocio.