The Democratic National Committee((DNC) notified the ten Democrats who qualified for the next debate on September 12 in Houston and also unveiled the way the candidates will be arranged on stage.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is leading in the polls, will be in the center flanked by Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) on his right and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) on his left. Next to Warren is Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) followed by a once-unlikely top tier candidate Andrew Yang, who is now placed higher on the pyramid than Beto O’Rourke and, at the outside podium, Julian Castro.
In descending order after Sanders are South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg; Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).
The other candidates still in the race so far — Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, former Maryland Congressman John Delaney, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), Miramar, Florida Mayor Wayne Messam; former Pennsylvania Congressman Joe Sestak, Tom Steyer, and Marianne Williamson — did not meet the 130,000 unique donors and at least two percent support in four qualifying polls.
They still can meet the criteria and qualify for the fourth round of Democrat debates in October.
ABC reported other details about the next debate:
The debate format will be one minute and 15 seconds for direct responses to questions and 45 seconds for responses and rebuttals. Candidates will have the opportunity to deliver opening statements, but there will be no closing statements.
As previously announced, ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos, ABC News “World News Tonight” Anchor and Managing Editor David Muir, ABC News Correspondent Linsey Davis and Univision Anchor Jorge Ramos will moderate.
The debate will be held at Texas Southern University, a public, historically black university, and will air from 8 to 11 p.m. ET.
This next debate will be the first time Biden and Warren will share the same stage.
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