The founder and host of the left-leaning online show “The Young Turks” warned Wednesday that MSNBC’s Democratic debate could be the last chance for some 2020 contenders to gain momentum.
During an interview on Hill.TV, Cenk Uygur emphasized that the upcoming debate essentially narrows the field to four top-tier contenders: Former Vice President Joe Biden, Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and most recently, South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
“The other six — this is their last hurrah,” Uygur said, pointing to Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) in particular. “They’ve got to do something, and I’m surprised some of them have hung on as long as they have.”
“But they’ve got to make a move right now; they’re totally out of time,” he added.
Uygur’s comments come ahead of the fifth Democratic debate in Atlanta.
Ten candidates will take the stage in Wednesday night’s MSNBC debate as part of the party’s 12 planned presidential primary debates.
For the first time in the election cycle, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro will not make the debate stage.
O’Rourke ended his presidential campaign earlier this month after failing to gain momentum in the crowded primary field.
Castro, meanwhile, failed to qualify for Wednesday’s debate.
For November’s debate, candidates had to reach at least 165,000 unique donors and register at least 3 percent in four qualifying polls or 5 percent in two early-state polls.
—Tess Bonn
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