Dems’ debate at TSU nearing 2-night event

Democrats are just one poll away from turning the Houston Democratic presidential candidates debate into a two-night event in mid-September at Texas Southern University.

With 10 candidates already qualified for the debate on Sept. 12, organizers say if one more candidate qualifies they will split the debate field over two nights, as they did in the previous two debates earlier this summer.

That is not welcome news for underdog candidates such as former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who has yet to be on the stage at the same time as front runner and former Vice President Joe Biden in the previous two debates.

Earlier this week former San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro became the 10th candidate to qualify.

And three other candidates are close enough to making it before the Aug. 28 deadline.

To make the debate stage at Texas Southern University’s Health & PE Center, candidates must hit 2 percent or more in at least four national polls or polls in the four early voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. Also, candidates must have at least 130,000 unique donors.

Besides Castro, the other nine candidates who have already secured spots in the debate are: Biden, O’Rourke, U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Amy Klobuchar, and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg and businessman Andrew Yang.

Two other candidates are close. Tom Steyer, a hedge fund manager who has been a vocal supporter of impeaching President Donald Trump, is one poll short of hitting the mark. And U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, is two polls short.

If either makes the cut, the Democratic National Committee will hold a random drawing on Aug. 29 to split up the field over Sept. 12 and Sept. 13.

ABC News announced George Stephanopoulos, David Muir, Linsey Davis and Univision anchor Jorge Ramos will moderate the debate. The debate will air on ABC News channels and locally in Houston on KTRKTV.