The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has set a stricter criteria for the third set of debates, which will be held on Sept. 12 and Sept. 13 in Houston. If 10 or fewer candidates qualify, the debate will take place on only one night.
Candidates will need to have 130,000 unique donors and register at least 2 percent support in four polls.
The Candidates have until Aug. 28 to reach those benchmarks.
A New York Times analysis of polls and donor numbers shows that only 10 to 12 candidates are likely to make the third round.
Eight candidates have already met both qualification thresholds and are guaranteed a spot onstage. They are:
- Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
- Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey
- Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind.
- Senator Kamala Harris of California
- Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
- Former Representative Beto O’Rourke of Texas
- Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont
- Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts
What is the difference between a Senator vs. Representative? The US congress consists of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Representatives have specific districts that elect them, while Senators are elected by the state as a whole