Politics- The Democratic primary debates for September have significantly more strict qualifying thresholds, suggesting the 2020 presidential field could thin out before the next round.
- Candidates must reach 2% in at least four separate polls approved by the Democratic National Committee and receive at least 130,000 individual donations, which must also include 400 donors in at least 20 states or US territories.
- So far, only a handful of candidates have qualified.
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The Democratic presidential primary debates set for this September will be decidedly more difficult for candidates to qualify for than the first round of debates.
The number of donors candidates must receive is doubled to a minimum of 130,000, with at least 400 donors coming from 20 different states or US territories. The candidates will also have to obtain at least 2% in four separate polls approved by the Democratic National Committee.
Read more: There are 2 dozen 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, but it's really only a 5 person race
And unlike the first two sets of debates in June and July, candidates will have to meet both the polling and donor minimums, instead of hitting just one of them.
That could thin out the field considerably, with many candidates very far from meeting either threshold, let alone both. Here are the candidates who have qualified so far.