A Godsend: September could have just one debate with ten candidates

Published July 26, 2019 3:59pm ET



Like the June and July Democratic presidential debates, September’s are limited to two nights and 20 candidates. But the Democratic National Committee’s strict rules for the ABC News and Univision hosted debates may reduce the display from two nights down to one and from 20 candidates just to 10.

To qualify for the debates, candidate must have a minimum of 130,000 unique donors with a minimum of 400 unique donors in at least 20 states and a minimum of four national or early state polls from a limited number of polling organizations demonstrating at least 2% support. As it stands, the top six polling candidates — former Vice President Joe Biden, Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and failed senatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke — have qualified on both counts. Just three candidates seem likely to follow suit.

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