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Democratic candidates are fighting to get enough attention and money to make the first debate stage - here's everyone who's qualified so far
Democratic candidates are fighting to get enough attention and money to make the first debate stage - here's everyone who's qualified so far
Joe PerticoneMar 28, 2019, 23:14 IST
Bernie Sanders.Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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Democratic presidential candidates have to meet certain polling and donation thresholds in order to secure a spot on the debate stage this summer.
Several candidates have already qualified through polling, a few through donations, and a smaller amount through a combination of both.
The field could be narrowed by the Democratic National Committee in the event too many candidates qualify.
Rules set forth by the Democratic National Committee have created a threshold for 2020 presidential candidates looking to get a spot on stage at the primary debates later this year.
Candidates must meet one of two different minimums at least two weeks before the first debate, slated for June:
Receive campaign contributions from at least 65,000 different individuals.
Achieve 1% in three separate polls from news and polling organizations approved by the DNC.
In the event more than 20 Democrats meet either of the required minimums, the DNC will narrow the field using a combination of the two thresholds.
In a crowded field of candidates, clearing those hurdles is proving to be a lot more difficult than one might think. So far, only a handful of Democrats have been able to crack the required criteria. Candidates have already begun scrambling for donations, including developing new and unique strategies to boost their campaign contributions.
Former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke easily passed the donor threshold within the first 24 hours of his campaign launch, bringing in a fundraising haul of $6.1 million from 128,000 separate contributors, averaging $48 per donation. O'Rourke has also placed above 1% in several polls.
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont has met both the polling and donations requirements to reserve a spot on stage at the debates. Sanders raked in more than $4 million from over 150,000 donors within 10 hours of his campaign launch. He also registers close to the top of nearly every national poll.
A former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg has seen a rapid rise in popularity recently, which has put him over the top in both campaign contributions and polling. Buttigieg has surpassed 1% in four different DNC-approved polls.
Kamala Harris
Sen. Kamala Harris of California has registered fairly high in many polls, giving her an easy footing in the upcoming primary debates.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts has not raised as much campaign contributions as many of the other top-tier candidates, but has done well in the polls, having reached at least 1% in Monmouth University, the Des Moines Register, CNN, and more.
Cory Booker
Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey has eclipsed 1% in several DNC-approved polls since announcing his presidential run in early February.
Julián Castro
Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro has not yet surpassed the 65,000 donor threshold. But the Texas native has registered in enough polls to qualify for the debate stage.
Kirsten Gillibrand
Like many of the other candidates, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York has polled at least 1% in the DNC-approved surveys. Gillibrand still needs to reach the donor minimum.
Jay Inslee
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has reached 1% in three DNC-approved polls, including Fox News, CNN, and the Des Moines Register.
John Hickenlooper
Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has met the 1% minimum in enough polls, putting him in the qualifying group of candidates.
Amy Klobuchar
Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota has sent out emails to her donor list asking to receive enough campaign contributions to be eligible for the debates, but has already surpassed the minimum 1% in at least three separate polls.
Joe Biden
Former Vice President Joe Biden has not yet announced his candidacy, but if and when he does decide to run, he will have already qualified.
Biden registers at the top of many DNC-approved polls and is the most likely to beat President Donald Trump in a head-to-head matchup, according to a recent INSIDER poll.
