Tech entrepreneur and political novice Andrew Yang became the ninth candidate to qualify for the September Democratic presidential primary debate on Thursday, ensuring his spot while many governors and senators in the crowded presidential field appear unlikely to make the stage.
Candidates need at least 130,000 donors and 2% or more support in at least four Democratic National Committee approved polls by Aug. 28 to make the debates scheduled for Sept. 12 and 13, much higher qualification standards than the June and July debates.
Yang, who campaigns on granting all Americans $1,000 per month in “universal basic income” and warns that automation threatens jobs and the economy, garnered 2% support in a Monmouth University poll of likely Iowa Democratic caucus-goers released Thursday. That pushed him over the polling threshold to qualify for the third round of Democratic primary debates in September.
With the addition of Yang, nine candidates appear to have qualified for the September debate in Houston, hosted by ABC in partnership with Univision:
- Former Vice President Joe Biden
- New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker
- South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg
- California Sen. Kamala Harris
- Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar
- Former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke
- Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders
- Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren
- Tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang
Yang’s campaign had thought he passed the polling bar last week before the Democratic National Committee clarified that he could only count one of two national polls sponsored by NBC, in which he garnered 2% support toward the four-poll threshold.
In a statement to the Washington Examiner Thursday, Yang said that he is excited and ready to “talk about real solutions to gun violence, the new realities of the American economy, and how we measure our health and success as a nation.”
“I said in the last debate that American politics had turned into a reality show, which produced a reality show president,” Yang said. “Solutions don’t come in 30-second soundbites and the American people are tired of leadership condensed into 280 characters.”
Two additional candidates have announced that they passed the 130,000 donor threshold, but still need more qualifying polls to make the debate stage:
- Former Housing Secretary Julián Castro
- Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard
Castro needs one more 2% qualifying poll to make the debate stage, while Gabbard needs three more.
Three additional candidates have qualifying polls, but have not announced reaching 130,000 donors:
- New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
- Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper
- Billionaire investor Tom Steyer
Steyer, an advocate for impeaching President Trump, now has three qualifying polls after getting 3% support in the Monmouth Iowa poll released Thursday. The Monmouth poll, in which Gillibrand got 2% support, is also Gillibrand’s first qualifying poll. Hickenlooper has one qualifying poll.
Because Steyer entered the race on July 9, much later than other candidates, he has far less time to reach the 130,000 donor mark. His campaign has been spending $100,000 a day on Facebook ads, many which ask for a small donation to help reach the donor threshold. The billionaire plans to spend $100 million of his own money on his presidential bid.
Candidates who have not yet announced reaching 130,000 donors or received any qualifying polls include Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, former Maryland Rep. John Delaney, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, spiritual author Marianne Williamson, and Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton, who did not appear in either the June or July debates.
