New threshold for Phoenix debate likely rules out Tulsi Gabbard
Mar 6, 2020, 4:00 PM
Democratic presidential candidate Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) (L) speaks as Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) listens during the Democratic Presidential Debate at Tyler Perry Studios November 20, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
PHOENIX – Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders aren’t the only two candidates left in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, but it’s unlikely you’ll see anybody on stage with them at this month’s debate in Phoenix.
U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii has been a relative nonfactor in voting results, but she’s refused to bow out as the field has narrowed.
New qualifying rules announced Friday for the March 15 debate at Arizona Federal Theatre will likely exclude Gabbard.
The Democratic National Committee ratcheted up the threshold by requiring candidates to have picked up at least 20% of convention delegates allocated in state primary contests.
Gabbard has picked up only two delegates — from the U.S. territory of American Samoa, where she was born. By comparison, Biden has more than 650 delegates, while Sanders has over 570.
A two-person debate would be the party’s smallest yet. Ten previous debates had at least six candidates, but many candidates have dropped out since then.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
