DNC Again Raises Thresholds To Make Debate Stage

The New York Times reports:

The Democratic National Committee will again increase the qualification standards for its next debate in January, requiring candidates to receive at least 5 percent support in four qualifying polls, or 7 percent in two early-state polls, making it likely that the field of candidates will be winnowed further for the event.

The announcement on Friday from Tom Perez, the D.N.C. chairman, came despite intense public and private lobbying from Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey and his allies to lower the barrier to participate in the party’s debates, a cause that gained momentum after just one person of color, entrepreneur Andrew Yang, qualified for Thursday’s debate in Los Angeles.