CNN released the candidate lineup for the second Democrat presidential debate to be held later this month in Detroit, Michigan over July 30-31.
The network announced that a “blind drawing” had determined which White House hopefuls would face off against each other during the first and second nights. As the field currently holds more than 25 competitors, attendance was limited to 20 competitors via criteria established by the Democratic National Committee.
The DNC, which drew criticism in 2016 for what many viewed as its attempt to “rig” the debates in favor former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, has been accused of setting overly stringent qualification requirements this time around.
To secure a spot at the first two debates, candidates must hit one percent in at least four state or national DNC-approved polls. Candidates are also eligible to qualify by raising 65,000 unique donations, with a minimum of 200 contributions from 20 different states. Attendance will be capped at 20 candidates, with spots prioritized for individuals able to meet both thresholds.
Those that did not qualify for the debate are Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), former Sen. Mike Gravel (D-AL), and Wayne Messam, the mayor of Miramir, Florida. Former Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) and billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer also failed to qualify, as they entered the race recently.