Something Is Missing in Iowa As Democrats Once Again Debate: A Clear Favorite
Viewers tuning in for the latest Democratic presidential candidates' debate Tuesday night may sense something missing in Des Moines.
For starters, the well-lit stage on the Drake University campus may seem half empty. There will only be six candidates raising their hands and vying for airtime. That's less than a third as many as qualified for the first round back in June. At that point, the debate was held over two nights with 10 different candidates on stage each night.
Most of the original crew have dropped out, including all the governors, Sen. Kamala Harris of California and former Cabinet secretary Julián Castro of Texas. Others have been excluded as the qualifying criteria — poll standing and fundraising — have grown tougher.
Among the missing on Tuesday are some of the more memorable and businessman Andrew Yang. Both are still running but missed the cut on polling performance. Without them, the debate will not have even one person of color.
