Steyer Campaign Statement on DNC Nevada Debate

(San Francisco, CA, February 18, 2020) –– Today, Tom Steyer 2020 Campaign Manager Heather Hargreaves released the following statement on the DNC's February 19 Nevada debate:

"If it were up to the people of Nevada and South Carolina, Tom Steyer would be on the debate stage tomorrow night. Tom Perez and the DNC have again let down Democrats in these two crucial states by arbitrarily shortening the polling window and refusing to take adequate steps to ensure the voices of Nevadans and South Carolinians are heard.

"There has been a staggering dearth of qualifying polling in Nevada or South Carolina — the first two diverse states to vote in this election — during the DNC's current window. This is unconscionable in an election where major shifts happen in short periods of time.

"It is beyond the shadow of a doubt that Tom would be on the debate stage had the DNC ensured more polling in Nevada and South Carolina during their chosen window. Tom has met or exceeded the 10% threshold in every Nevada and South Carolina public poll during the debate window. Tom's message is resonating in Nevada, where a new poll conducted by Beacon Research for our campaign shows Tom statistically tied with Vice President Biden for 2nd place and trailing Senator Sanders by only 6 points. Regardless of the turnout model, Tom earns well over the 12% support threshold put forth by the DNC to make the Nevada debate. Critically, the numbers show Tom making strong inroads with African Americans and Latinos, two voting blocks critical to picking up delegates in Nevada, South Carolina, and the delegate-rich Super Tuesday states.

"The DNC is effectively shutting out contenders for the nomination who have demonstrated they can build the diverse coalition of voters that will be necessary to beat Donald Trump in November. It is shameful that Perez and the DNC will bend over backward to make space for a candidate who has chosen to ignore voters in the first four races while ignoring the voices of the first two truly diverse states in this election, Nevada and South Carolina.

"Regardless of whether the DNC decides to do the right thing and change its polling requirements or commission more polling, Tom will continue to connect with voters on his message of being the candidate who can unite a diverse coalition and beat Trump on the economy."

One week before the DNC started its polling window for qualification to the Nevada debate, Tom Steyer's campaign met the polling criteria in two Fox News polls that showed his campaign at 15% in South Carolina and 12% in Nevada. More recent polls conducted by The Post and Courier and East Carolina University have confirmed Steyer's momentum, showing him as a leading candidate with 18% and 19% support respectively. Significantly, the Post and Courier poll showed Steyer earning 24% support amongst black voters, only six points behind first-placed Joe Biden.