Everyone who may get cut from the next Democratic debates

Don't worry — Marianna Williamson has secured herself a spot at the July debates

The 2020 presidential campaign season is kicking into high gear as candidates face tougher requirements to make it into the next series of Democratic debates than the first round that took place last week in Miami, Florida.

Whereas candidates initially needed just one per cent of support in three separate polls and 65,000 donors across 20 different states in order to qualify for the first debates, those quotas have effectively doubled ahead of the late-July televised events.

The new benchmarks set by the Democratic National Committee require candidates to earn a minimum 130,000 unique donors no later than 28 August, with a minimum 400 individuals contributing from at least 20 states.

Candidates must also receive at least two per cent support in four polls released between the period of 28 June and 28 August.

This means that — while 14 of the top candidates have already locked in debate spots — a slew of 2020 hopefuls who joined the stage in Florida last month may now be on the chopping block, from Tim Ryan to John Hickenlooper.

Mr Hickenlooper, the former Colorado governor, has earned campaign contributions from just 13,000 donors, according to a Politico report published this week.

He is joined by Mr Ryan, an Ohio congressman, and John Delaney, a former Maryland congressman, in leading the pack of seven underdogs who are vying for just six spots left at the upcoming debates, which will total 20 candidates across two nights, the New York Times reported.

Trailing behind the three politicians are Eric Swalwell, the California congressman, Michael Bennet, the senator from Colorado, Steve Bullock, the governor of Montana and Bill de Blasio, the mayor of New York.

Julian Castro, another 2020 hopeful, has attacked the DNC online over the strict debate requirements, writing: “The new 130,000-donor debate threshold is designed to cut candidates like me from the running.” He has since qualified to take the stage, however.

According to the Times, “it would not be at all surprising if the September debate ends up featuring 10 candidates or fewer.”

The paper listed the 14 candidates who have locked in spots at the debate as the following: Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Julian Castro, Tulsi Gabbard, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar, Beto O’Rourke, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Marianne Williamson and Andrew Yang.