For the past eight years, President Bush and the Republican Party have ravaged this country.

This president and his party have led us into an ever-escalating war, a deepening recession and have worked relentlessly to take away the essential civil rights that are the founding bedrock of this nation.

During this time, the Democratic Party has fought tirelessly to protect those among us whom the Bush administration and the Republican Party have unapologetically ignored and neglected. It is for these reasons and many more that it is essential that we elect a Democratic president come November.

This election cycle, we have had the unique privilege to see two historic candidates running for the Democratic nomination.

What we have seen through these primaries is a long-needed discussion about the fundamental issues that shape both the Democratic Party and this nation. Unfortunately we must pick one, and Sen. Hillary Clinton is the stronger candidate.

Clinton has devoted her life to public service. She has worked tirelessly to fix the broken health care system in this country. She has stood up to the Bush administration on many issues including unforgivable mistreatment of the veterans who have served our country.

This is why Clinton is an essential voice in the national debate over the new direction this country must take.

Many have suggested that Clinton should drop out of the race and that her continued candidacy is weakening the party. But those people are ignoring some essential facts.

Voter participation in almost every state has risen to unprecedented levels. Huge numbers of volunteers have come together to work for the candidate they believe is the best person to take this country in the new direction.

This primary has even changed the fundamental nature of the way candidates raise money. No longer is politics controlled by the wealthy few who have supported the likes of President Bush and now John McCain.

Rather, the common Americans who donate what they can, even if it 's just $5 to the candidate who inspires them, have funded this primary. Clinton 's candidacy has and continues to wake up the dormant Democratic Party that we saw in 2004.

In addition to re-energizing Democrats across the country, this primary has, because of Clinton 's candidacy, started a number of essential national conversations.

Not only has racism, and unfortunately to a smaller extent sexism, been examined in new light, but essential national policy has been the subject of lively debate between Clinton and her opponent.

We have seen a discussion between these two candidates on how to best protect the middle class from corrupt mortgage lenders and the price-gouging oil industry.

At a time when the American reputation around the world has been ruined, Clinton has used the great microphone of the candidacy for the American presidency and has offered sensible solutions to such foreign policy disasters as the war in Iraq.

We also must consider the many unresolved issues that have arisen during this process. The two crucial general election states of Michigan and Florida still are not being counted.

It is unfair to punish the democratic voters of Florida because of the calculating actions of that state 's Republican Legislature and governor to disenfranchise the voters.

Those who are calling for Clinton to step out of the race often talk about the importance of counting every vote equally.

Surely, this standard must apply to all 50 states and should include Michigan and Florida. With these two states, and her recent landslide victory in West Virginia, Ms. Clinton is not far from winning the popular vote.

For years both the Democratic and Republican nominations have been decided in the very early months of the primary season. For the first time in a long time the voters of every state are having their say. It would be foolish to end that process now. Clinton should see the race to its finish.

Biese is the former chairperson of Students for Hillary Clinton at UW-Madison. Buthmann is the current chairperson and Grant is the vice chair for the organization.