Twenty presidential candidates made the cut for first series of primary debates, the Democratic National Committee announced Thursday.
The debates, set to take place in Miami on June 26-27 and be broadcast via NBC, MSNBC, and Telemundo, were the first hurdle the historically large primary field of more than two dozen candidates faced before it is expected to be whittled down ahead of the Iowa caucuses next February.
Qualifications for the debates included polling and/or fundraising thresholds. Set to participate in the debates because they met both are former Vice President Joe Biden; New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker; South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg; Obama administration Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro; Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard; New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand; California Sen. Kamala Harris; Washington Gov. Jay Inslee; Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar; former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke; Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders; Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren; self-help guru Marianne Williamson; and entrepreneur Andrew Yang.
Several more prominent Democrats qualified for the debates via the polling standard alone, including Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, New York Mayor Bill De Blasio, former Maryland Rep. John Delaney, former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, California Rep. Eric Swalwell, and Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan.
Some Democratic White House hopefuls did not make the cut, and will have to make up ground ahead of the second round, scheduled to take place in Detroit on July 30-31. That series will be hosted by CNN, CNN International, and CNN en Español. That group includes Montana Gov. Steve Bullock; former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel; Miramar, Fla., Mayor Wayne Messam; and Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton.
Contenders hoping to make the cut were required to earn at least 1% support in three polls and attract 65,000 unique donors, with at least 200 contributors from 20 different states. The targets, however, will increase for the September and October debates, where hopefuls will need 2% approval in four public opinion surveys and 130,000 donors, with 400 contributors in 20 states. The September event will broadcast by ABC News and Univision.
NBC, MSNBC, and Telemundo this week announced Lester Holt will appear in both hours of the first debates. He will moderate the first 60 minutes with Savannah Guthrie and Jose Diaz-Balart, while he will be joined by Chuck Todd and Rachel Maddow in the second hour.
