Dem candidates qualifying for third debate
So much for winnowing the field.
With two pairs of whirlwind debates — 20 candidates per outing, 10 onstage per night — now past, those vying for the Democratic presidential nomination must cross higher polling and fundraising thresholds to return for the next two rounds.
Ostensibly, the Democratic National Committee’s more stringent requirements would result in fewer candidates behind the podiums.
The next debate will be Sept. 12 — and Sept. 13, if needed — in Houston, and will air on ABC and Univision.
But more contenders continue to make the cut. Businessman Andrew Yang — who announced he’d qualified off a Monmouth University Iowa poll this week — made it nine with more than two weeks until the Aug. 28 deadline. Candidates who fail to make the September stage will have another chance before October’s cutoff, reports say.
Candidates need at least 2% support in four qualifying polls and at least 130,000 individual donors — with 400 apiece in 20 states — to reach the third and fourth debates. The first two debates required either 1% support in three qualifying polls or 65,000 unique donors — with 200 each in 20 states.
Yang joins U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Amy Klobuchar, former Vice President Joe Biden, South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg and former Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke in qualifying, according to their campaigns.
U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro have hit the fundraising threshold. Billionaire Tom Steyer has three qualifying polls.
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has one qualifying poll and says she’s crossed 100,000 donors. Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has one poll. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee says he’s 15,000 contributors shy of 130,000.