Bernie Sanders’ supporters, including many in the cannabis community, did all that they could to make the Vermont Senator TIME Person of the Year as he clearly won the online vote, but the magazine’s editors have decided to go a different route. While Sanders will fail to become the first presidential candidate to win the honor, Donald Trump’s hopes are still alive as the reality TV star has become the Republican frontrunner with his bombastic rhetoric.

Often short on substance, Trump has been pinned down on his marijuana policy and he does support medical marijuana “100%” and seems to adhere to a states’ rights position on full legalization, although he’s not a supporter of ending prohibition (today). Unfortunately, Trump’s other positions on civil liberties, leave much to be desired and are actually dangerous as giving the United States government the power to track citizens and deny their entry based on their religion would send our nation down a slippery slope.

Whether they ultimately win their party’s nomination or the presidency, it is clear that Trump and Sanders have dominated the political discourse this election season as outsiders challenging the status quo. The establishment candidates have had to respond to these insurgent candidates, but that is where the similarities between Sanders and Trump ends.

Bernie Sanders has a long history of support for progressive support, including marijuana law and Drug War reform and he has been reluctant to campaign in any way that could be considered “attacking” or “dirty.” Trump, on the other hand, has demonstrated a willingness to say just about anything. It is a rather sad day that a candidate like Trump can be considered TIME’s Person of the Year over a statesman like Bernie Sanders, but that is unfortunately the world we live in today.

(Featured photo credit: Reuters/Larry Downing/Brendan McDermid)