A balanced panel of political experts were brought together by The Capital Times Tuesday night to discuss potential outcomes of November’s elections.

The panel, consisting of two Democrats, two Republicans and one independent, speculated about which presidential candidates were likely to get the vote and how to explain Donald Trump.

Why is Trump doing so well?

One of the primary reasons Trump has supporters is the “free-media” he receives from constant press coverage, Brian Fraley, Edge Messaging president and conservative strategist, said. It’s hard to determine where the Republican nomination is actually going to go because everyone is reacting to Trump, Fraley said. Though Republican, Fraley said he would not vote for Donald Trump.

“You could be a convicted felon [and] you would be a better candidate for president than Donald Trump,” Fraley said, to which the majority of the audience applauded.

Trump pulls ahead in Wisconsin GOP race according to recent poll

Even so, Fraley said there is a real possibility Trump could win the nomination and become president.

Former Rep. Michelle Litjens, R-Neenah, however, said even though Trump has support, polls indicate 67 percent of Republicans disagree with him.

Litjens said Trump was created from an angry electorate tired of having to be politically correct. Barry Burden, University of Wisconsin political science professor and bipartisan panel voice, said Trump is the result of Republican senators and representatives not deciding to get behind a single candidate.

But former Rep. LaTonya Johnson, D-Milwaukee, said she hopes Trump will win the Republican nomination because it would make it easier for the Democratic nominee to win the election.

Jenni Dye, One Wisconsin Now research director, said people just want to vote for someone who feels like a change.

Hurdles for Clinton

If former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wins the nomination, Republicans will most likely criticize her for Benghazi, her email account, lack of trustworthiness and her legacy — and they might gain “traction” with some of those worries, Burden said.

Johnson said Clinton would have to work hard to win over Bernie Sanders supporters to win the election.

“I think Hillary really needs to feel the Bern,” Johnson said.

Fraley said another issue with Clinton is that she’s “unlikable.” He said she doesn’t have a personality people can latch onto.

Despite these concerns, when the panel was asked who they think will win the Democratic nomination, most said they expect Clinton to win.

Bernie’s strong following

Johnson said U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, has a strong hold over millennial voters. Fraley said college students and other young voters appreciate his authenticity. Litjens said 85 percent of millennials support him.

But Litjens said these young voters don’t know what socialism is and would not support it if they had a good understanding of what it meant to be a “democratic socialist.”

Johnson, however, said Sanders would need more than just college voters to win the nomination.

Fraley said he thinks Sanders has enough support in Wisconsin across voters to decisively win Wisconsin, even if he doesn’t win the Democratic nomination.

Other Republican candidates

Litjens, Dye and Burden said they think U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, is the most likely Republican nomination. Fraley said if Rubio is still in the race by the time of the Wisconsin primaries, he will win Wisconsin.

While U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, still has a good chance of winning the nomination, Burden said, his party hates him.

Johnson said Cruz’s “anti-immigrant” rhetoric will lose him voters, pointing to the recent “Day Without Latinos” protest as an example of Wisconsin’s large immigrant population. She also said Rubio has a lot of work as a candidate because his policies don’t match up with his backstory.

[Updated]: Thousands gather at Capitol for ‘Day Without Latinos’ protest

Dye said she thinks the Republican establishment will eventually get together and rally behind Rubio.