Ten presidential hopefuls have qualified for the third Democratic debate. The event, hosted by ABC and Univision, will air on Thursday, Sept. 12. The qualifying candidates are: former vice president Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusettes, South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, entrepreneur Andrew Yang, former HUD secretary Julián Castro and former Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke.
To qualify for the third debate, candidates had to have a minimum of 130,000 individual donors. They also had to draw at least 2% in four qualifying polls released between June 28 and August 28.
The requirements have effectively reduced the debate fields by half. Twenty candidates debated over two nights during the first two debates. With only ten qualifiers, the third debate will be limited a single night.
Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and author Marianne Williamson have met the donor requirements according to their campaigns, but not the polling thresholds. Billionaire Tom Steyer, a late entry to the race, also failed to meet the polling requirements. Former Rep. John Delaney didn’t meet polling or fundraising requirements, but has not yet dropped out.
Four candidates who participated in the first debate have withdrawn from the race: Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington, former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.
ABC News anchors George Stephanopoulos, David Muir, Linsey Davis and Jorge Ramos will moderate next month’s third debate live from Houston.
A fourth debate, with similar qualifying criteria, will be held in October.