WASHINGTON — The Democratic National Committee and CNN announced on Wednesday the 20 candidates who will be invited to participate in the second Democratic presidential primary debate at the end of the month.
The invited candidates were:
Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado
Joe Biden, former vice president
Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey
Gov. Steve Bullock of Montana
Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana
Julián Castro, former HUD secretary
Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York
John Delaney, former Maryland congressman
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York
Sen. Kamala Harris of California
John Hickenlooper, former Colorado governor
Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington
Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
Beto O’Rourke, former Texas congressman
Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts
Marianne Williamson, author
Andrew Yang, entrepreneur
Candidates qualified for the debate by getting support from at least 1 percent of voters in at least three national polls or early state polls, or by raising money from 65,000 unique donors. Most candidates qualified by meeting both criteria. Bennet, Bullock, de Blasio, Delaney, Hickenlooper and Ryan qualified through polling only.
Not everyone who was on the first debate stage last month, hosted by NBC News, will be taking the stage this time around. Rep. Eric Swalwell of California has since dropped out of the race. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, who did not make the cut for the NBC debate, will take his spot at the CNN debate.
The debate will be held in Detroit over two nights, July 30 and 31. Ten candidates will be on the stage each night. The DNC and CNN will hold a random drawing Thursday night to determine the lineup for each night.
