Twenty Democrats for 2020. Has a nice ring to it, right? At least that’s what NBC, Telemundo and the Democratic National Committee think, as they confirm which contenders have made the cut for their first debate, which takes place in Miami later this month.
They are:
- Colorado senator Michael Bennet
- Former vice president Joe Biden
- New Jersey senator Cory Booker
- South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg
- Former HUD secretary Julián Castro
- New York City mayor Bill de Blasio
- Former Maryland congressman John Delaney
- Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard
- New York senator Kirsten Gillibrand
- California senator Kamala Harris
- Former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper
- Washington governor Jay Inslee
- Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar
- Former Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke
- Ohio congressman Tim Ryan
- Vermont senator Bernie Sanders
- California congressman Eric Swalwell
- Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren
- Author Marianne Williamson
- Entrepreneur Andrew Yang
To qualify for the first debate, at Miami’s Arsht Center, a candidate had to meet one of two requirements: over 65,000 individual donations, or registering more than 1 percent support in at least three polls.
Missing the cut therefore: Montana governor Steve Bullock, former Alaska senator Mike Gravel, Miramar mayor Wayne Messam and Massachusetts congressman Seth Moulton.
The teens behind the Gravel campaign tweeted: ‘State of the #Gravelanche: folks, due to weeks of pollsters not including us, we won’t be on stage for the June debate. However, with 48,000 donors and rising, and with Mike now included on every poll in the past few weeks, with your support we are on track for the July debate.’
Most of the 20 candidates reached this point by meeting both of the DNC’s criteria: but some crept in despite being short of 65,000 individual donations. In that category: Bennet, de Blasio (shock), Delaney, Hickenlooper, Ryan and Swalwell (no way!).
Cockburn has been tracking the Dems’ progress via the Donkey Dow, and speculates the party is set to divide into two lanes, with some candidates vying to be the ‘Establishment’ choice (think: Biden, Beto Buttigieg) and others hoping to build ‘Leftist’ support (Bernie, Tulsi, Warren).
The next step, though, is for the DNC to split these 20 into two sets of 10: the first of which will debate each other on Wednesday, June 26 at 9pm, the second on the following night.
Cockburn will see you down there for a frozen margarita.
Update 6/14 1:15p.m. ET: The groups have been confirmed.
Wednesday night: Cory Booker, Julián Castro, Bill de Blasio, John Delaney, Tulsi Gabbard, Jay Inslee, Amy Klobuchar, Beto O’Rourke, Tim Ryan, Elizabeth Warren
Thursday night: Michael Bennet, Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, John Hickenlooper, Bernie Sanders, Eric Swalwell, Marianne Williamson, Andrew Yang
Choose your fighter…
