Democratic Debate Grows To 6 Candidates As Steyer Hits January Threshold

Despite media acting as if Tom Steyer doesn't exist.

https://www.npr.org/2020/01/09/795086561/democratic-debate-grows-to-6-candidates-as-steyer-hits-january-threshold

January 9, 20207:30 PM ET
Jessica Taylor

The Democratic stage will be the smallest yet for next Tuesday's Iowa debate, with just six candidates set to qualify.

Billionaire activist Tom Steyer on Thursday likely became the latest candidate to qualify after two Fox News polls from Nevada and South Carolina showed him in the double digits. Steyer has been spending millions of dollars in early states to boost his chances.

That means he will join the other five candidates who had already qualified: former Vice President Joe Biden, former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

The debate will be Tuesday, Jan. 14, at 9 p.m. ET and is being hosted by CNN and The Des Moines Register. The deadline to qualify is by midnight Friday, Jan. 10, but no other candidates appear close to meeting the Democratic National Committee's threshold.

As it has with each previous debate, the DNC instituted dual polling and fundraising requirements. Candidates must hit 5% in at least four national polls or at least 7% in two early-state polls. And they have to get 225,000 unique donors from 20 states.

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