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| Democratic Party Will Impose Tougher Rules for Qualifying for Third Debate | Democratic Party Will Impose Tougher Rules for Qualifying for Third Debate |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The national Democratic Party will toughen the requirements for participating in the presidential primary debates this fall, a decision likely to prompt blowback from candidates struggling to gain a foothold in the crowded race. | The national Democratic Party will toughen the requirements for participating in the presidential primary debates this fall, a decision likely to prompt blowback from candidates struggling to gain a foothold in the crowded race. |
| To qualify for the party’s third debate, scheduled for mid-September, candidates must attract donations from 130,000 individuals from at least 20 states and register at least 2 percent in four state or national polls from a list of approved surveys, the Democratic National Committee announced on Wednesday. | To qualify for the party’s third debate, scheduled for mid-September, candidates must attract donations from 130,000 individuals from at least 20 states and register at least 2 percent in four state or national polls from a list of approved surveys, the Democratic National Committee announced on Wednesday. |
| The historically large Democratic field, now numbering 23, is posing new challenges to the committee, which is trying to avoid exerting undue influence on the race while giving primary voters the best opportunity to assess the candidates and select a viable contender. To that end, the committee set criteria for the first two debates — in June and July — that were relatively easy for candidates to meet. | The historically large Democratic field, now numbering 23, is posing new challenges to the committee, which is trying to avoid exerting undue influence on the race while giving primary voters the best opportunity to assess the candidates and select a viable contender. To that end, the committee set criteria for the first two debates — in June and July — that were relatively easy for candidates to meet. |
| To earn a spot in those debates, candidates can qualify in one of two ways: collect 65,000 donors or register at least 1 percent in three polls. If more than 20 candidates qualify, the D.N.C. has said it will prioritize those who meet both thresholds. | To earn a spot in those debates, candidates can qualify in one of two ways: collect 65,000 donors or register at least 1 percent in three polls. If more than 20 candidates qualify, the D.N.C. has said it will prioritize those who meet both thresholds. |
| So far, 19 candidates have qualified to be in the first debate next month, creating a situation where most of them are unlikely to get much airtime. For that debate, the committee agreed to evenly and randomly divide top-tier candidates across two nights in order to maintain viewer interest. | So far, 19 candidates have qualified to be in the first debate next month, creating a situation where most of them are unlikely to get much airtime. For that debate, the committee agreed to evenly and randomly divide top-tier candidates across two nights in order to maintain viewer interest. |
| The third debate will be shown by ABC News, in partnership with Univision, and will be held on two consecutive nights — Sept. 12 and 13. It will be capped at 20 candidates, but it is unlikely that many will qualify. Currently, only about eight candidates consistently reach 2 percent in the polls. | |
| Party officials say the additional two months of campaigning, combined with appearances in the heavily promoted summer debates, could lead to more candidates reaching the new threshold. Officials also point out that no Democratic candidate consistently polling under 2 percent has gone on to win primaries and caucuses since President Jimmy Carter in 1975. | Party officials say the additional two months of campaigning, combined with appearances in the heavily promoted summer debates, could lead to more candidates reaching the new threshold. Officials also point out that no Democratic candidate consistently polling under 2 percent has gone on to win primaries and caucuses since President Jimmy Carter in 1975. |
| Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey quickly used the new rules to solicit donations, telling supporters on Wednesday that his campaign has “some work to do to hit this number.” Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s campaign also sent a fund-raising blast to supporters, citing the donor requirement and saying, “This is going to be tough — but we can do this.’’ | |
| Senator Kamala Harris of California, before an event in Greenville, S.C., also expressed some skepticism. “I’m not in a position to tell the D.N.C. what to do, but I think that there is no question that we need to support a robust process of letting everyone make their case to the American people,” she said. “At some point it will whittle down, and that’s part of what a competition involves.” | |
| The new donor requirements got support from ActBlue, the online fund-raising hub used by more than 90 percent of Democrats, which said it would encourage campaigns to build the kind of small dollar fund-raising operations they’ll need to compete in the general election. | The new donor requirements got support from ActBlue, the online fund-raising hub used by more than 90 percent of Democrats, which said it would encourage campaigns to build the kind of small dollar fund-raising operations they’ll need to compete in the general election. |
| “Candidates who will be prepared to take on Trump in the general should already be working to build programs that can bring in 130,000 donors by the second round of debates,” said Erin Hill, ActBlue’s executive director. | “Candidates who will be prepared to take on Trump in the general should already be working to build programs that can bring in 130,000 donors by the second round of debates,” said Erin Hill, ActBlue’s executive director. |
| The more stringent fall rules are unlikely to sit well with some of the campaigns. While candidates were aware the thresholds would increase, they were not briefed on the specifics, to avoid any appearance of favoritism. | The more stringent fall rules are unlikely to sit well with some of the campaigns. While candidates were aware the thresholds would increase, they were not briefed on the specifics, to avoid any appearance of favoritism. |
| Already, candidates struggling to qualify for the summer events under either measure say it is too soon for the committee to exclude anyone from the stage. | |
| “I don’t think the D.N.C. should be winnowing the field early in the process,” Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado told Fox News during a campaign swing through New Hampshire. | “I don’t think the D.N.C. should be winnowing the field early in the process,” Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado told Fox News during a campaign swing through New Hampshire. |
| Some of those who have not yet met the donor requirement claim that the system incentivizes candidates to place too much focus on capturing small donors. | |
| “I don’t think it’s a measure of success,’’ Ms. Gillibrand said recently. “I don’t think it’s a measure of electability. I don’t think it’s a measure of quality of candidate.’’ |