On edge: 2020 Dems face prospect of being cut from debates

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

MIAMI (AP) — The largest presidential field in modern Democratic politics could quickly shrink as more than half of the contenders are in real danger of failing to meet tougher requirements to participate in the fall round of debates.

Short on support and money and bound by tough party rules, once soaring politicians may soon be seen as also-rans. They include Julian Castro, who is seeking to capitalize on his strong debate performance last week; Kirsten Gillibrand, one of her party's most outspoken feminists; and Cory Booker, who rose to stardom as the energetic mayor of Newark, New Jersey.

-snip-

Of the 20 candidates who qualified for the first round of debates in June and July, just six are sure to appear in the September-October round, when the Democratic National Committee requires participants to hit 2% in multiple polls and 130,000 individual donors. Though many campaigns are worried, DNC Chairman Tom Perez has resisted pressure to relax the requirements.

-snip-

There's still time for struggling candidates to recover. All 20 contenders who appeared on the debate stage last week will return for the late July debates. And, for now, only a fraction of voters are paying close attention to the unfolding Democratic contest.
But failing to qualify for the September-October debates could be lethal to any candidate, regardless of whether they formally drop out of the race.

Currently, the only locks for the fall debates are former Vice President Joe Biden, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, California Sen. Kamala Harris and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke is likely to qualify, but after an underwhelming debate performance last week, even he is not guaranteed to make the polling threshold. Only polls taken between June 28 and Aug. 28 will count.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/on-edge-2020-dems-face-prospect-of-being-cut-from-debates/ar-AADFAuA?li=BBnb7Kz

[still_one]

1. I hope so. In my view it should be down to about 6, but we will see

[customerserviceguy]

2. The rapid cutdown

increases pressure on the low-pollers to intensify their attacks on the upper tier. Maybe we think that's a good thing, or maybe we think it's a bad thing, but the structure of this version of "The Hunger Games" virtually guarantees that it will happen.

[still_one]

3. I think that will happen regardless. We have too many candidates, with a lot of duplications on the

issues

[left-of-center2012]

4. No problem with six

Time to get serious

[Drunken Irishman]

5. There's too many candidates...

And the last two debates were a joke. The only other alternative is to have an undercard like debate similar to what the GOP did in 2016.

[IronLionZion]

6. Marianne Williamson should show up anyway

and harness love for everyone

[sacto95834]

10. LOL

I agree. She was something. So very different from we usually see.

[Gothmog]

7. I have no problem with excluding the lowest ranking candidates from the debates

[Bettie]

8. I would really like to see some of those

who don't make the next set of debates to run for the Senate in their respective states! Several of them could unseat Republicans and give us a path to a Democratic Senate!

[MarcA]

9. Let them know they will get support $$$ for the Senate

but not for Pres or VP.