On Tuesday, progressives Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren face off for the first time in this campaign.
Tuesday night’s debate begins at 8 p.m. ET. It’s slated to last at least two hours.
Which candidates are onstage Tuesday night?
In order of their placement onstage, left to right: Spiritualist and author Marianne Williamson; Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio; Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg; Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.; former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-Texas; former Gov. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo.; former Rep. John Delaney, D-Md.; and Gov. Steve Bullock, D-Mont. —NPR
Heading into the second Democratic debate in Detroit, Biden’s polling average, according to RealClearPolitics, is currently at 32%.
A Quinnipiac University poll on Monday found Warren in second place with 15% support over Harris in third at 12%, while Sanders was back in fourth place at 11%. Buttigieg was next with 6% support, while former Rep. Beto O’Rourke of Texas and businessman Andrew Yang were tied at 2%. The other 18 candidates were polling at 1% or less.
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The poll was conducted from July 25-28 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4%.
Though only 21% of Democrats and voters who lean Democratic thought Biden has the best policy ideas, 51% thought he had the best chance of defeating President Donald Trump in the general election, the Quinnipiac University poll found. —USA
This debate is crucial for many Democrats – especially lesser-known candidates (such as Govs. Steve Bullock or Jay Inslee) or candidates who have seen steadily dipping poll numbers (Beto O’Rourke) if they want to make it onto the next debate stage, or even keep their campaigns running until the Democratic caucuses and primaries begin in February.
The threshold for the debates in September requires candidates to hit 2% in four qualifying polls and tally at least 130,000 individual donors, according to the Democratic National Committee guidelines. Seven candidates – O’Rourke, Biden, Harris, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sens. Cory Booker, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren – have met the threshold. —USA
