Statement by Tom Steyer on New DNC Debate Qualification Standards

(SAN FRANCISCO, CA, January 31, 2020) — Today, presidential candidate Tom Steyer issued the following statement on the heels of the Democratic National Committee's new qualification standards for the ninth Democratic presidential debate in Nevada, which remove the unique donor threshold requirement.

"Let's make one thing clear: changing the rules now to accommodate Mike Bloomberg and not changing them in the past to ensure a more diverse debate stage is just plain wrong. Back in December, I called on the DNC to open up the debate requirements so that more candidates, including candidates of color, would be able to participate. The Democratic Party should be doing everything possible to ensure a diverse field of candidates. Instead, they are changing the rules for a candidate who is ignoring early states voters and grassroots donors."

"I have always believed that one of the Democratic Party's great strengths is that it represents every community in our great nation, and that voters should be able to hear from a diverse group of candidates before they select our nominee. This race is wide open and will continue to be until a majority of Democrats vote. It's up to us to continue to show America that we are the party of diversity, that can unite our country and expose Trump in the general election as the fraud and failure that he is."

Today's news comes as Steyer surges in the early states, with the most recent Morning Consult early state tracker showing him in third place with 17% support. A January 9, 2020 Fox News Poll showed Steyer in second place in South Carolina with 15% support, and third in Nevada with 12%. Recent internal numbers from HIT Strategies show Steyer polling above 12% in both South Carolina and Nevada. However, due to the DNC's arbitrary decision to limit qualifying polls to a much shorter window (between January 15, 2020 and February 18, 2020) than previous debates and to start that window right after the campaign received two qualifying polls, Steyer is yet to qualify for the Nevada debate.