DNC increases qualifications for next debate

One day after seven candidates took the stage for the most intimate debate of the Democratic presidential primary cycle so far, the Democratic National Committee increased the qualification standards for its next debate in January, making it likely that the field of candidates will be winnowed even further for that event.

The DNC announced Friday that candidates will need to receive at least 5% support in four qualifying polls or 7% in two early-state polls, in addition to amassing at least 225,000 individual donors.

Five of the seven candidates who took part in Thursday's debate in Los Angeles — former Vice President Joe Biden, Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts — have already met the new thresholds for the next debate, scheduled for Jan. 14 in Des Moines.

New York Times