| SpokenTruth said: UPDATE: Michael Bennet has qualified via polling for the first round of debates. That leaves just Steve Bullock, Mike Gravel, Wayne Messam and Seth Moulton as the only candidates to be left out and the deadline to qualify is approaching - June 12th. I would not be surprised if all 4 suspended their campaigns on that date. Even if all 4 met the qualifications in the next 5 days, only 20 candidates will be selected (based on the tie breaker criteria) to attend the debate meaning they could be left out anyway. |
Funny thing is (well not so funny for Bullock), that many media thought Steve Bullock qualified already. But the DNC clarified, that one poll that had him at 1% is not counted as a qualifying poll.
Another note: Marianne Williamson apparently has met the polling criteria and therefore reached the safe zone of qualifying with both criteria.
And I agree this will be first winnowing. I also think some of the candidates that don't make the debate will give up, and even if they don't, they probably lose all chances in the polls as public focus concentrates on the candidates in the debates. That might be helpful for some of the other candidates, that possibly can sponge up supporters. Given, that are not many, but it might be the needed kick to get at 2% to qualify for the third debate.
Also I don't think everyone will profit the same from the first two debates. Some candidates (looking at Yang, Williamson, Gabbard, Inslee) have pretty unique platfroms they are running on and can strongly focus on their area. Inslee even asked the DNC if they make a climate change specific debate (and the DNC declined). I think all of these candidates aren't that well known, but if in the debates they can focus on their main platform, many viewers will like that. Other candidates seem more… boring, running with a more or less standard political platform. I think about Delaney and Gillibrand here. I assume they will have a hard time to stand out at the debates. Well, maybe they do something unexpected.
