It was a busy week for Dems and Republicans alike. After much anticipation and speculation, Joe Biden finally announced that he will not be running for president. It was met with some cheers and some groans. It seemed that many democrats really wanted Biden to run. The current Vice President has a high approval rating and is well liked among politicians. There were a few campaigns to “draft” Biden in order to coax him into running. Aside from Biden being a popular choice, Dems were frustrated with Hillary Clinton. Between her swirling scandals and her rigid personality, Dems weren’t crazy about her position in the race. She is quickly associated with the words “liar” and “untrustworthy” by Americans. The Dems felt more confident with Biden.

Joe had his reservations, however, and most people think it is because of his late son, Beau. Beau Biden passed away only a few months ago, and Biden and family are still grieving. Biden was quietly meeting with supporters and talking with his family to decide if running right now would be the most beneficial thing for the entire family. On top of that, Hillary had a promising performance in the first Democratic debate. After her glowing reviews, many felt Joe’s window of opportunity was closing. In the end, Joe decided it wasn’t the best time for him or his family, so he decided against throwing his hat in the ring.

For the GOP, it was a week of rebirth in a way. With John Boehner’s resignation as Speaker of the House, the GOP scrambled to find a worthy replacement. After a tremulous year, they needed someone young and fresh, who could shine a new light on Congress and be a positive influence going forward. There were a few rumors that former vice presidential candidate, Paul Ryan, would be elected and was the GOP’s first choice for the new Speaker of the House. Almost immediately, Ryan shot down these rumors, but a few days later it was announced that a unanimous vote elected Paul Ryan as the new Speaker of the House.

The third GOP debate took place this week, and t was a bit of a shake up from what we’re used to (and tired of) seeing. Donald Trump is beginning to fall in the polls while Ben Carson and Marco Rubio slowly creep up, snagging the majority in key states. It’s still early, so things can always continue to change, but this is a good sign for those who don’t consider Trump a serious candidate.

The debate itself was a bit of a circus, in part because the CNBC moderators seemed to be biased and throw “gotcha” questions at the candidates. They did their best to push through, although the Republican National Committee was less understanding, and has suspended the next debate as a result and has severed their relationship with NBC.

As for the debate itself, Marco Rubio was crowned the winner. He made himself stand out by not attacking his fellow candidates and making his views heard. He certainly has the drive and passion to be our next president, and it will be interesting to see where he goes from here.