Democrats, do you really want to win the White House? Now that Donald Trump is the Republican nominee, we need a Democratic candidate who can defeat him – Bernie Sanders.

Here’s why: People trust Bernie. His integrity is unquestionable. His positions are consistent: marching for civil rights when it wasn’t popular, marching with strikers who have been treated unfairly, supporting women’s rights, opposing devastating trade agreements. Voters really like him, as evidenced by the enormous crowds at his rallies. They like a man who will stand up for them against the rich and powerful.

Democrats are not the only voters needed to defeat Trump. Independents – who strongly support Sanders – will be essential in the fall. Closed primaries excluded this group, but they will be vital in November. Bernie Sanders has ignited a fire under young people who are, for the first time, giving direction to their future and that of their planet. They will stand with Bernie. All the polls show that Sanders’s lead over Trump is much greater than Clinton’s. She has fallen behind. While polls may not be infallible, it is time to pay attention. We need a winner: Bernie Sanders.

ANNE HARPER, The Villages, Fla.