CNN 2020 Democratic Debates: How to Watch and Live Stream Online

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Two groups of ten candidates will square off yet again—this time on CNN. It could be the last time we see several lower-tier candidates on a 2020 national stage.

Audrey McNamara

Reporter

REUTERS

The 2020 Democratic field has shed only a few candidates, and this week 20 members of the still-massive field will face off again for a set of debates on the road to determining who will face President Trump next year.

Much like the first two debates—held last month in Miami—only 20 candidates will appear in this week’s debates, hosted by CNN live from Detroit, Michigan.

Like last time, the debaters have been split into two randomized groups: Ten candidates will debate on July 30, and the other ten will go head-to-head on July 31.

This week’s debates will likely be the last chance for lower-tier candidates to make a splash on the national stage and gain recognition among voters in a crowded field.

Both night’s events will be moderated by CNN chief political correspondent Dana Bash, CNN Tonight anchor Don Lemon, and The Lead and State of the Union anchor Jake Tapper. As Refinery29 reported earlier this year, the Democratic National Committee has made it a mandate that all debates feature at least one woman and one person of color as moderators.

HOW TO WATCH

The debates, held both evenings at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, will be broadcast on CNN from 8 to 10 p.m. ET. If you’re watching online, the debates will be live-streamed on CNN.com and CNN’s app (cable subscription required for these options), or on fuboTV, a new paid over-the-top streaming service focused largely on sporting events.

HOW DID CANDIDATES QUALIFY?

For this set of debates, candidates had to fulfill one of two requirements: 65,000 individual donors, with at least 200 donors in 20 different states, or, poll at 1% in three major polls chosen by the DNC.

As such, several candidates from last month’s debates did not qualify for the CNN events. However, there will be one newcomer in Montana’s Gov. Steve Bullock.

THE LINEUPS

Tuesday, July 30, in order of stage appearance:

  • Marianne Williamson
  • Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH)
  • Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
  • South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg
  • Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
  • Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
  • Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX)
  • Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper
  • Former Rep. John Delaney (D-MD)
  • Montana Gov. Steve Bullock

Wednesday, July 31:

The only candidate who participated in the first set of debates but will not return for round two is Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), who made waves at the first debate by attacking Biden’s age but dropped out of the race several weeks ago.

Other candidates who failed to qualify for the CNN debates: Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), billionaire hedge-fund manager Tom Steyer, who only recently joined the race; former Sen. Mike Gravel (D-AK), who unveiled anti-Biden ads on MSNBC last week and whose campaign is run by meme-wielding teens; and other long-shots like former Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) and Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam.

WHEN ARE THE NEXT DEBATES?

Thursday, Sept. 12, and Friday, Sept. 13, at Texas Southern University in Houston. That pair will be hosted by ABC News and Univision.

There will be a total of 12 Democratic sanctioned primary debates, six of which will take place in 2019.