What to watch for at tonight’s first Democratic presidential debate
Ten candidates — led by Elizabeth Warren, Beto O’Rourke, Amy Klobuchar and Cory Booker — will participate tonight beginning at 9 pm ET. And the second 10 — led by Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris and Pete Buttigieg — go on Thursday.
Tonight, we’ll be watching how Warren handles being the night’s frontrunner. The Massachusetts senator has been moving up in the polls. And without Biden or Bernie on the stage, she’s the star attraction — at least on paper. Maybe Warren’s biggest task is handling the high expectations.
But who else will break through, Beto, Booker or Klobuchar? Will it be O’Rourke, who has seen his star fade since his entry in March? Or Booker, who really hasn’t had a moment so far in the 2020 race? Or Klobuchar, who often stands out when she’s on TV.
Six other candidates are on tonight’s debate stage, and they’re vying to survive the higher qualifications before September’s third debate(s): Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, former HUD Secretary Julian Castro, former Rep. John Delaney, Reps. Tulsi Gabbard and Tim Ryan, and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.