Rival Democratic presidential candidates expressed displeasure with a shift in rules that was widely perceived to benefit former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, enabling him to make a debate stage for the first time.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) dropped a requirement for a certain number of donors, leaving only a polling threshold to qualify for debates. “Now that the grassroots support is actually captured in real voting, the criteria will no longer require a donor threshold,” said Adrienne Watson, a DNC spokesperson.
