Who's on stage for the first 2020 debate

By Meg Wagner and Elise Hammond, CNN

Updated 7:54 p.m. ET, June 14, 2019
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2:19 p.m. ET, June 14, 2019

Our live coverage has ended. You can read more about the upcoming debate

7:54 p.m. ET, June 14, 2019

What you need to know about the first 2020 debate

The lineup for the first 2020 debate is set.

NBC, the Democratic committee's media partner for the first debate, announced today which candidates will appear each night of the two-night event later this month.

Here are the details:

  • Where and when: The debate will be held June 26 and 27 in Miami, Florida.
  • Who will appear on the first night: Elizabeth Warren, Beto O'Rourke, Cory Booker, Julian Castro, Tulsi Gabbard, Jay Inslee, Amy Klobuchar, Bill de Blasio, John Delaney and Tim Ryan
  • Who will appear on the second night: Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand, Michael Bennet, Marianne Williamson, Eric Swalwell, Andrew Yang and John Hickenlooper.
  • What about the polls? Biden, Sanders, Harris and Buttigieg — four of the top five candidates in the race, according to polling — are on the same stage. Warren is the lone member of the top five on the other night.

Here's your visual guide to the two nights:

1:52 p.m. ET, June 14, 2019

Julián Castro tells supporters: "I'm going to make you proud"

Julián Castro tweeted a thank you to his supporters as he announced that he'll appear on the first of two nights during the first 2020 debate.

"You got me on that stage. I'm going to make you proud," the former Housing and Urban Development Secretary tweeted.

1:46 p.m. ET, June 14, 2019

Beto O'Rourke: "We have a big, bold, ambitious, forward-looking vision to share"

Beto O'Rourke will appear on the first night of the first 2020 debate, alongside Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Corey Booker and others.

He just tweeted about the upcoming debate, saying he has "a big, bold, ambitious, forward-looking vision" that will help overcome the nation's challenges.

Here's his message:

1:51 p.m. ET, June 14, 2019

This is one candidate's response to not qualifying

From CNN's Dan Merica

A campaign aide for Montana Gov. Steve Bullock says the man in the video is Jock from Missoula, Montana.

“He doesn’t qualify, really,” Jock says. “What are you waiting for, go and donate.”

1:34 p.m. ET, June 14, 2019

Kamala Harris: I can't wait to discuss "how we can build a better America together"

Sen. Kamala Harris, who will appear in the second night of the first debate, said she's looking forward to discussing "how we can build a better America together."

She'll share the stage with former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders and seven other Democrats.

1:29 p.m. ET, June 14, 2019

Elizabeth Warren wants to bring her plans for "big, structural change" to the debate stage

From CNN's MJ Lee

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who will appear on the first night of the Democratic debate later this month, said he's looking forward to discussing her plans for "big, structural change" in the US.

Here's her tweet:

Less than two weeks out from the debate, Warren has risen in a series of recent polls, breaking out of the single-digits.

She seems to be jockeying for second place to progressive rival, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Warren's new standing next to Sanders marks a notable ascent for the senator, whose candidacy earlier in the year had at times raised questions about whether she would be able to gain enough traction or raise enough funds. 

Although they won't literally be standing next to each other at the first debate: Sanders will appear on the second night of the debate.

1:24 p.m. ET, June 14, 2019

Did Elizabeth Warren luck out for this debate?

From CNN's Harry Enten

There is a big debate going on whether Elizabeth Warren lucked out or was hurt by not being in a debate with the other Iowa poll leaders (Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders).

The lucked-out scenario revolves around the idea that Warren will stand above the field in her debate with those polling quite low. Additionally, she won't have to go negative on Biden because others will do so when they debate him.

The hurt scenario revolves around the idea that Warren will look like a second-tier candidate by having to debate mostly lower-tier candidates. Further, she won't be to distinguish herself from the others.

One potential tiebreaker on whether this is good or bad: ratings. I would think that fewer people would tune into a debate that looks mostly like an undercard.

1:20 p.m. ET, June 14, 2019

How Cory Booker reacted to the lineup news

From CNN's Rebecca Buck

Cory Booker’s campaign manager, Addisu Demissie, posted a video on Twitter of Booker seeing the debate group lineups for the first time.

Booker— who will appear in the first night of the debate along Elizabeth Warren, Beto O'Rourke and others — laughers and claps as he reads the names on a white board:

A Booker campaign adviser later released this statement about the announcement:

“This is an opportunity for us. Every story that comes out of night two of the debates is going to be about Biden and how he stacked up against the younger candidates, just given how he has been covered lately. I think the other candidates on night two are going to struggle to break out of that shadow, while we have a real opportunity for us.”