DNC to raise qualifying threshold for third presidential debate
WASHINGTON — Candidates in the massive 2020 Democratic presidential field will face a steeper hurdle to participate in the party's third debate in September, the Democratic National Committee announced Wednesday.
Most candidates say they have now qualified to participate in the first and second debates, which will take place in June and July, but some in the party are eyeing the September event as a key winnowing moment for the two-dozen candidate field.
For the third debate, the DNC is essentially doubling the polling and fundraising thresholds set for the first two debates — and requiring candidates to meet both standards, instead of just one or the other.
Candidates will need to register at least 2 percent in four major polls conducted this summer and receive donations from at least 130,000 individual donors, including at least 400 in 20 states.
“Candidates who will be prepared to take on Trump in the general should already be working to build programs that can bring in 130,000 donors by the second round of debates," said Erin Hill, the executive director of ActBlue, Democrats' central clearinghouse for online donations.
There will still be a maximum of 20 spots on sage for candidates — 10 each over two nights — but some slots may go unfilled if candidates fail to meet the higher bar.
The September debate will air on ABC News, Univision, and Hulu Live on September 12 and 13.
The first debate, sponsored by NBC News, MSNBC, and Telemundo, will take place in Miami on June 26 and 27. CNN will host the second debate in Detroit on July 30 and 31.
