I support Hillary Clinton for president for a variety of reasons. Starting with her lifelong advocacy for women and children and culminating with her extensive public service in both national and international affairs, I believe she will move the democratic agenda forward. I have not seen a credible Sanders plan, given that Republicans still hold majorities in so many state legislatures, governor’s mansions and Congress. I think the revolution needs to bubble up from the bottom lest it fizzle out like the Occupy movement appears to have. I have appreciated Sanders delineation of the issues facing us (and, yes, moving Clinton to the left), his grassroots politics, integrity and taking the high road — until the first week in April. He then took a very low road, claiming Clinton was unqualified to be president, in a supposed tit-for-tat attack. In fact, Clinton never took the offered bait and had not made the same statement about him.

At our March 26 caucus, everyone in my precinct agreed it would be important to support the Democratic nominee, no matter who that person was. The problem is that accusations such as the ones Sanders is now voicing, will make it ever more difficult to ensure that coalescing will, or can, occur after the Democratic Convention. According to statistics I have heard, one in four Sanders supporters will not vote for Clinton even now. I hope none of my Vashon neighbors, or their friends and family, are among that 25 percent and that they would campaign and vote for Clinton should she be the Democratic nominee for president. There is too much at stake, not the least of which is one (or more) Supreme Court appointments. I would certainly pledge to vote for Sanders should he win the nomination.

— Ellen Kritzman