When Is the Next Democratic Debate? Candidates to Take the Stage in Charleston, South Carolina
Following Wednesday's Las Vegas debate among contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination, the candidates will take the stage again in less than a week.
The 10th debate will be held February 25 in in Charleston, South Carolina's largest city, ahead of that state's primary on February 29. CBS News and the Congressional Black Caucus Institute will co-host the event, which will take place at the city's Gaillard Center.
To participate, candidates must have 10 percent support in at least four polls approved by Democratic National Committee, or 12 percent support in polls taken only in South Carolina. These polls have to be released between February 4 and 24. Alternatively, a candidate who wishes to participate must have won at least a single delegate in the Iowa caucuses, the New Hampshire primary or the Nevada caucuses.
The debate will be broadcast on television and will also be available for live streaming on social media, CBS News said.
"We're extremely excited," said Trav Robertson, chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, according to The State. "Any time we can get all of the presidential candidates in one place, it gives us an opportunity to showcase South Carolina and the Democratic Party."
South Carolina's primary will be the first held in the South. After the Nevada caucuses, on February 22, it will be one of the first chances for the candidates—and the country at large—to see how they fare among African American voters.
Iowa and New Hampshire have populations that are about 4 percent and 1.7 percent black, respectively, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Nevada's African American population is around 10 percent, and about 27 percent of South Carolinians are black.
Newsweek reported last week that a February 14 poll from East Carolina University (ECU) showed that former Vice President Joe Biden led the Democratic field with 28 percent. He was followed by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, at 20 percent, and billionaire businessman Tom Steyer, at 14 percent.
Biden, who did poorly in New Hampshire and Iowa, may be counting on South Carolina to revive his campaign's prospects. Historically, he has received majority support from African American voters in polling. The ECU poll, however, indicated that younger African Americans (those under 55) are supporting Sanders instead of the former vice president.
