The winner of 2015? Hillary Clinton

In a year that saw the rise of Donald Trump and the surprising emergence of Bernie Sanders, the real winner for 2015 is actually a more conventional name: Hillary Clinton.

This might seem like a surprising choice. What about her e-mails and her private server? What about Benghazi? What about the lack of enthusiasm for her candidacy or her struggling poll numbers?

Those were problems, but the e-mail scandal has largely faded from view. As for Benghazi, Clinton’s appearance before a congressional committee largely put that issue to bed — and gave her a chance to shine before a national audience. While Sanders’ challenge remains an issue, Clinton has shown in the three Democratic debates that she is on top of her game and is by far the best politician running this cycle. Five weeks until Iowa, Clinton has a double-digit national lead over Sanders and is almost certainly going to be the Democratic nominee next year.

If anything, Sanders’ challenge has probably been more helpful than harmful, by forcing Clinton to sharpen her message before the harsh glare of a national campaign.