2020 Democrat Delaney asks DNC to explain new debate threshold

[Jose Garcia]

John Delaney, the former Maryland congressman running for president, sent a letter to Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tom Perez on Wednesday asking him to explain the party's decision to change its qualifications for the third primary debate.

Delaney's letter came hours after the DNC announced that it would toughen the requirements for candidates to qualify for the presidential primary debates, beginning with the third debate in September.

To make the stage for the first two debates, slated for June and July respectively, candidates had to collect campaign contributions from 65,000 unique donors or register at least 1 percent in three qualifying polls.

But the new rules raise the threshold, requiring candidates to find at least 130,000 donors or reach at least 2 percent in three polls. In his letter, Delaney demanded to know how the DNC settled on those new requirements.

More: https://thehill-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/thehill.com/homenews/campaign/445972-delaney-asks-dnc-to-explain-decision-to-toughen-debate-qualifications?amp_js_v=a2&_gsa=1referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fthehill.com%2Fhomenews%2Fcampaign%2F445972-delaney-asks-dnc-to-explain-decision-to-toughen-debate-qualifications

[left-of-center2012]

1. Your link doesn't work

Use this:

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/445972-delaney-asks-dnc-to-explain-decision-to-toughen-debate-qualifications

[Jose Garcia]

2. I just clicked on it and it worked from me

[still_one]

3. I understand Delaney's frustration, but I also understand what the Democratic party is up against.

We have over 20 candidates running.

While it is unfair to change the rules midstream, how much time realistically will each candidate get in a fair way if we have too many candidates on that debate stage?

I think that is how the DNC is looking at this, allowing those who have at least a chance so we don't expend a lot of time on candidates that have a low probability of gaining momentum.

Since this is still quite early, and they setup up the rules already, they should probably stay with the original rules through the first debate, and use the modified rules for subsequent debates.

Realistically though, the only debates I believe most people will pay attention to are those from the leading candidates, so it will be difficult for others to gain on that

[PAMod]

4. I believe they are staying with the original criteria for the first two debates.

The minimums increase for the third debate.

[George II]

5. I think most Democrats wouldn't be disappointed if at least a half dozen weren't in the field...

I don't understand myself why some are there.

[Honeycombe8]

6. The reality is that if a candidate can't meet those requirements by then...

if a candidate can't meet those requirements by then, he or she has almost zero chance of being elected the nominee. So they're not seriously running for President. Some are running for the VP slot, some are running to get a national name, etc.