The next Democratic debate is getting dangerously close to being 2 nights again


A ninth Democrat has qualified for the third round of presidential debates, bringing us closer to another two-night affair.
Entrepreneur Andrew Yang on Thursday became the latest Democratic candidate for president to qualify for the September debate following the release of a Monmouth University Iowa poll in which he has two percent support, The New York Times reports. Yang previously had the 130,000 individual donors needed for the September debate's qualification threshold, which is stricter than that of the previous two debates, and he has now met the requirement of two percent support in four polls as well.
This means the September debate will include at least the following nine candidates: former Vice President Joe Biden, Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former congressman Beto O'Rourke, and Yang. As the Times points out, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro is close to qualifying; he has enough donors and now needs to reach two percent support in one more qualifying poll. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) also has surpassed the 130,000 individual donor requirement, The Washington Examiner reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
While the first two rounds of debates took place over two nights because there were so many candidates, it was thought raising the qualifying threshold for the September debate might cut the field down enough for only one night to be required. The New York Times previously reported that this September debate would take place on a single night should 10 candidates or fewer qualify. Were Castro and Gabbard to both squeeze in, there would be 11 candidates.
The Democratic National Committee also recently gave candidates even longer to qualify for the October debate, leaving open the possibility that the debate field will actually grow larger after September. The deadline to qualify for the September debate is Aug. 28.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Citizenship: Trump order blocked again
Feature After the Supreme Court restricted nationwide injunctions, a federal judge turned to a class action suit to block Trump's order to end birthright citizenship
-
Loyalty tests: The purge at the FBI
Feature Kash Patel is conducting polygraph tests on FBI agents to weed out anyone speaking badly about him
-
The all-seeing tech giant
Feature Palantir's data-mining tools are used by spies and the military. Are they now being turned on Americans?
-
Japan's prime minister feels pressure after election losses
Speed Read Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to remain in office
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein
-
Fed chair Powell in Trump's firing line
Speed Read The president considers removing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein files
speed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
Judge nixes wiping medical debt from credit checks
Speed Read Medical debt can now be included in credit reports
-
Grijalva wins Democratic special primary for Arizona
Speed Read She will go up against Republican nominee Daniel Butierez to fill the US House seat her father held until his death earlier this year
-
US inflation jumps as Trump tariffs 'bite'
Speed Read Consumer prices are climbing and the inflation rate rose to its highest level in four months