With the primary elections in full swing, most people are now familiar with the three-ring circus that is the 2016 Presidential Election. If you had told me four years ago that this election cycle would include a real estate tycoon turned politician, a former first lady, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, and a slew of other people whose names seem to be more or less interchangeable, I would have laughed. It seems like a story conceived in the early stages of a political drama; or rather, the plot of an episode of the hit NBC comedy TV-show, Parks and Recreation. The small race for City Council in Pawnee, IN has a surprising amount of similarities with the current Presidential Election. The biggest similarity? The candidates.

Donald Trump… the Bobby Newport our 2016 Election Cycle.

While Donald Trump may be a tad bit more ferocious than Bobby Newport, he certainly fits the bill of a random business man who decides to become involved in politics. He uses his name to campaign more than he uses the actual issues, and relies on the fear factor to get votes. Bobby Newport threatens to move his father's company to Mexico if he isn't elected and Donald Trump implies a fear of foreign entities, a threat that doesn't actually exist.

And then there's this…

"Donald Trump's never had a real job in his life."

Ted Cruz…. the gun-loving, lesser known candidate, Fester Trim.

Not a lot is known about the fringe candidate Fester Trim. The one issue that he focuses on in the Season 4 episode "The Debate" is gun control. An issue that hits really close to home for Ted Cruz - one of his most notorious campaign slogans was "Obama wants your guns." Unlike Trim, Cruz is a major candidate; however, much like Trim, most people over look him in favor of the loud boisterous Republican candidate, Donald Trump, who is currently leading in delegates.

Hillary Clinton… is adult film star Brandi Maxxxx!

I know, I know. Most of you are thinking that Hillary Clinton is the Leslie Knope of this election cycle, but like Brandi Maxxxx, Hillary is simply an imposter Leslie. While Brandi has formed her whole platform around the similarities between herself and Leslie, particularly the fact that they are female; Hillary has been quick to point out her shared interests and work with current President, Barack Obama.

And that leads us to the real Leslie Knope… Bernie Sanders.

Like, Leslie Knope, Bernie Sanders is the underdog in this campaign. Leslie spends her entire campaign trailing behind her opponents and then wins the election by 21 votes in a recount. Like Leslie, Bernie Sanders is firmly rooted in his causes and beliefs. He is not willing to sell out to appease voters and certainly isn't going to sell out to get money from big business. He is a candidate that truly cares about the citizens of Pawnee and of America.

Even Leslie sees the similarities.

Now that you have the low-down on the candidates, don't forget to get out and vote on Election Day! Knope 2016!