The first Democratic presidential debate of the elections that will take place in the United States during 2020 will be held in Miami,
informed that political party on Thursday.
Miami will not host the 2020 Democratic National Convention, but the city will host the first debate among the top 20 candidates hoping to win the party’s nomination.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced Thursday that it has chosen Miami to hold the first of the party’s debates on June 26 and 27. The debate will be televised on Telemundo, NBC and MSNBC with simultaneous interpretation into Spanish.
The DNC did not say where the debate will be held, although the local media networks have learned that the party has asked about the James L. Knight Center located close to downtown Miami.
“Miami is a dynamic city that reflects the values and diversity of the Democratic Party. I can not imagine a better environment for our first debtae, “said Tom Pérez, president of the DNC, in a statement.
The debate is planned for two nights because the DNC expects to host 20 candidates. The participants will be chosen at random, so that figures like Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris could share the stage with candidates of lesser caliber as Andrew Yang, or even the mayor of Miramar, Wayne Messam.
To meet the participation requirements, candidates must reach at least 1 percent in national surveys or in the states that hold the first primaries, in at least three different surveys, or receive donations from at least 65,000 individuals. If more than 20 candidates meet the requirements, the party will give priority to candidates who meet the two requirements.
Perez announced that Miami will host the first debate a day after the Miami-Dade Democratic Party sent him a letter urging the national party to hold its first debate in South Florida, an important swing State.
“More than 30 million Hispanic voters will participate in the 2020 elections. We have to make sure that his topics of interest are among the priorities of our party, “wrote Steve Simeonidis, president of the local party. “An excellent way to start an aggressive campaign to get closer to Hispanic voters would be to hold the first debate of the Democratic primary at the United States Gate to Latin America and the Caribbean: Miami-Dade County.”
The DNC has planned a dozen debates before its 2020 convention, when the party will choose the candidate who will face Donald Trump in his re-election bid.
