DNC raises bar for candidates to qualify for the third and fourth presidential primary debates


The Democratic National Committee announced on May 29 that it was doubling the fundraising and polling qualification thresholds for the third and fourth set of Democratic primary debates scheduled in September and October.
 
Candidates must register at least 2 percent support in four major polls released after June 28 or receive contributions from 130,000 unique donors across 20 states or more to qualify.
 
Five of the 24 candidates have already reached the fundraising threshold for the third debate—Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Beto O’Rourke, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren.
 
While it will be a month before any qualifying polls are released, recent polls indicate eight candidates are likely to meet the mark later this summer. The following candidates have hit 2 percent support or more in at least four major polls: Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Buttigieg, Harris, Amy Klobuchar, O’Rourke, Sanders, and Warren.
 
The third presidential Democratic debate will take place on September 12-13, 2019. ABC News and Univision will host the event.