USA TODAY

Last Sunday, we asked USA TODAY readers: In this increasingly crowded presidential field for 2020, which candidate is standing out to you and why?

And while we got overwhelming messages from the Andrew Yang, Bernie Sanders, Marianne Williamson and Tulsi Gabbard camps (in that order), here are some of the best responses for the candidates mentioned in all the responses:

1. Andrew Yang: A policy-focused contender

Letter to the editor:

Andrew Yang stands out to me for several reasons: He proposes health insurance for all, making marijuana legal in every state, a $1,000 universal income for people over 18 — which will more than likely cut down on crimes and reform the welfare system — jobs for convicted felons, criminal justice reform. and last but not least, his statement of being to harsh on some criminals. I stand behind Yang.

Sherry Craig; Seneca, S.C.

Letter to the editor:

I am supporting Andrew Yang running for the Democratic nomination in 2020. He stands out to me because he puts people over party. Yang is not afraid to talk about important issues affecting Americans, and has put together the most comprehensive, evidence-based policy proposals of any Democratic candidate. It has been amazing to see Democrats, Republicans and independents rally behind his candidacy.

Yang is not a career politician. He's well-educated, briefly practiced law and has had several successful business ventures. On the campaign trail, he has been level-headed and fair, willing to engage personalities from different political viewpoints. His campaign gives us something to be excited about in the era of President Donald Trump and hyper-partisan politics.

Matt Hope; Scranton, Pa.

2. Bernie Sanders: A proven track record

Letter to the editor:

The candidate who stands out to me most is Bernie Sanders. He built a massive groundswell of support in 2015 that has continued to grow in the past four years. The keys to his popularity are his authenticity and compassion. He has shared the same consistent message for decades, and after the disappointment of 2016, he went right on fighting for the underdog and continues to steer the national conversation on such topics as economic inequality, health care and climate change.

His campaign has served as a rallying cry to altruistic individuals around the world. His supporters understand that if change is to happen, we must all pitch in. And we're ready to do just that.

Erin McCarty; Erie, Pa.

Letter to the editor:

My choice for president is Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., because of his history of standing up for the environment, racial justice, workers rights, women’s rights, the poor, immigrants, as well as for peace and ending U.S.-led interventionist wars.

Sanders understands that the current flood of big money influencing US politics has muted the voice of the constituents and amplified the voices of corporations and the wealthy. He knows that profiteering by the health insurance industry has lowered health care outcomes while raising healthcare costs astronomically since Nixon’s HMO Act. He listens and draws up policies based on constituents needs. He stands with labor unions, having walked picket lines himself. He used his national prominence to convince major corporations to raise their minimum wage. And most importantly, he crafted the biggest act of #Resistance by leading both houses of Congress and both parties to vote to take back their constitutionally mandated War Powers from POTUS.

Sanders can beat any GOP nominee because his policies are crafted to help the average person.

Christine Tsan; Naperville, Ill.

3. Marianne Williamson: A spiritual leader

Letter to the editor:

The candidate who is the biggest stand out in my mind is Marianne Williamson. She is the first spiritual teacher in history to run for office, and she reminds us all, as other prominent leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi have, that love, when used and organized for political purposes, can make just as big a difference in the world as organized hate and fear can and already do.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., may be for the people's rights, but Williamson is the first person to deal with the heart of people's problems that lead to the unequal rights in the first place. It's not just about the laws and the documents passed, or the actions taken — it's what is underneath all of that, and having that be transformed.

Chelsea Imbimbo; New York

Letter to the editor:

I’ve been a fan of: Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., for the work he did for New Jersey, the consumer advocacy work of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., the strength and conviction of Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., to get to the truth, the foresight of Andrew Yang, and the career work of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. However, this is the time for all of us to pull together to fix the damage done to our democracy and all of our citizens lives by the greed, self centered decisions and misguided intentions of the current administration.

Having studied with and followed Marianne Williamson's work for many years, I believe she is the candidate that can be trusted to assess where our government is not working for its people, will deliver those truths honestly, will appropriately appoint the brightest individuals to work with her, and lead us safely and robustly through the evolution of our country.

Wendy Braun; Pollock Pines, Calif.

4. Tulsi Gabbard: A different kind of Democrat

Letter to the editor:

As it stands the only Democrat standing out to me is Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii. She calls a spade a spade, and has the foresight to break with the mainstream Democratic ideology on issues like Venezuela, the Russian investigation and special counsel Robert Mueller's report, and WikiLeaks. I consider her intelligent, well spoken and her age is more representative of the country as a whole. Above all else, she is a combat veteran and the only candidate calling for an end to interventionist regime change wars.

Jay Nagy; Oregon, Ohio

With a field so numerous it is overwhelming to choose just one candidate. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg speak with such eloquence that is both inspiring and admirable. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders capture the spirit of American progressives. Yet, while I would support these candidates, I'm concerned about some of their shortcomings. But of the multitude of candidates, two strike me as exceptional.

First, Tulsi Gabbard. She's the warrior who loves peace, not the draft dodger who loves war. She understands that the continuous wars of regime change make public health care, environmental policy, and affordable education unattainable. Second, Andrew Yang. He’s the entrepreneurial technocrat who has experience building wealth and empowering others, not inheriting it nor preying upon them. He understands the challenges of automation, the importance of incentives, and the difficulties of human behavior. It only takes one spark to change the world. I think Yang or Gabbard might just be the two to do it.

Kristopher Jacomet; Phoenix, Ariz.

5. Pete Buttigieg: A breath of fresh air for Democrats

Letter to the editor:

Pete Buttigieg is my candidate. I wanted to vote for a woman. I wanted to. I love Sens. Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand. But I saw Buttigieg speak when he withdrew from the Democratic National Committee chair race and, hand to God, I’m almost 50, and it has been forever since I thought "who is this, please run for president." He has progressive ideas and a pragmatic approach, and what the Democratic Party has lacked: an ability to explain how our progressive ideas aren’t progressive, they just make sense.

Buttigieg is a listener — not only when it's easy to listen, but when he's faced with people diametrically opposed to him. He is a leader not just because of his position, but in the example he sets every day. He picks and chooses his opinions based on information, rather than grabbing the party check list and falling in line. Pete Buttigieg is an example of the kind of human I want my kids to be. He has my vote.

Elisabeth Duckett; South Salem, N.Y.

Letter to the editor:

South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg is the candidate inspiring me now. He’s highly educated, has well-reasoned, detailed responses to difficult questions, has served our country in the military and he's a man of faith. The exact polar opposite of our current president. The fact that he's gay and married is just a bonus.

Ronda Schiess; Oceanside, Calif.

6. Elizabeth Warren: A fact-based powerhouse

Letter to the editor:

The presidential candidate who stands out for me is Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Calif., as the most "wonkish" candidate. I like her idea of closely regulated capitalism, which in my opinion will be necessary to transition our society beyond fossil fuels, as we combat climate change. Hearing that she started out as conservative and became progressive based on her research increased my trust. We need politicians who respond appropriately to new information.

A further testimony to Warren's quality are President Donald Trump's attacks on calling her "Pocahontas." You can say what you want about Trump (and there is plenty bad to say), but he has a good nose for power. I concluded that he must have seen Warren as a significant threat early on and attacked her.

Doris Leicher; Columbia Crossroads, Pa.

7. Howard Schultz: A man concerned about our debt

Letter to the editor:

As a Libertarian looking at the people currently running, I favor former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz to become president because he is the only candidate that addresses our national debt. All the other Democrats seem to only offer more health care, education, reparations, etc., with no concern about paying for it. The current president spends our taxes just like the Democrats.

Steve Dudenhoeffer; Warsaw, Mo.

8. Donald Trump: A candidate who has kept his promises

Letter to the editor:

I am educated, high-earning, work in manufacturing, and am a married father of six kids and I voted third party in the last presidential election. But for me, the candidate who is standing out is an easy pick. President Donald Trump. It is refreshing to have a leader following through on campaign promises — checking them off a list.

Trump lives his life and communicates in a way I can't reconcile. His tact and diplomacy toward world allies and enemies is laughable. And like President Barack Obama, he resorts to executive action when he doesn't get his way. There’s a lot to dread. But he’s exactly who America needs. As the world economy stumbles, the U.S. economy is robust. While Obama pursued trade policies as a means to diplomatic ends, we have a president who embraces American exceptionalism. Diplomacy can be the responsibility of other countries, if they want to trade with America.

This independent voter will be reelecting Donald Trump in 2020.

Matthew Schneider; Bennington, Neb.

9. Joe Biden: A candidate cannibalized by his own

Letter to the editor:

I voted for Donald Trump in 2016, only because I was determined not to do anything that might assist Hillary Clinton. I'm equally determined to support someone other than President Donald Trump next year. Trump is an embarrassment to the country, even though some of his policies are praiseworthy.

Among the Democratic (or Socialist) contenders, I believe that former Vice President Joe Biden would make the best president. Recent attacks on him from within his own party, however, suggest that he'll be denied the nomination.

And among the others seeking the Democratic Party nomination, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg impresses me the most. He's super smart, well-educated, articulate and not a nut job. His military service is another plus. Though he's a liberal, I expect a Republican-controlled Senate would keep a President Buttigieg from going off the rails with "pie in the sky" programs.

In truth, what I'd really like to see is a strong Republican primary challenge to Trump. People like Bob Corker, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush or Condoleeza Rice could each be good candidates if they could withstand the mud-slinging and name-calling from Trump.

John L. Palshaw; Salinas, Calif.

10. Bill Weld: A strong Republican who can bridge the partisan gap

Letter to the editor:

Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld is the candidate who stands out most to me. Weld is out there talking about actual issues that others are ignoring, like how many jobs will soon be lost to robotics. Weld has also been brave enough to not tell Republicans what they want to hear about President Donald Trump, rather what they need to hear.

Weld was also a successful governor who was elected and reelected in a deep-blue state. He shrunk the size of government, unlike Trump has. He reduced his state's deficit and was rated among the most fiscally conservative governors in the country.

Jack Panek; Buffalo, N.Y.

To join the conversations about topics on USA TODAY, email letters@usatoday.com, comment on Facebook, or use #tellusatoday on Twitter.