Castro qualifies for next Democratic primary debates

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro qualified for the third Democratic presidential primary debates in September with a new CNN poll that showed him with at least 2 percent support.

Castro had met the 130,000-donor requirement set by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and has now notched at least 2 percent in four DNC-approved polls, meeting the two requirements needed to make it to stage next month as well as in October.

Castro qualified after he received 2 percent in a CNN poll released early Tuesday that was conducted between Aug. 15 and Aug. 18.{mosads}

Castro is now the 10th 2020 Democrat to meet the requirements for the September debate, along with former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Cory Booker (N.J.), South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Kamala Harris (Calif.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) and tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang.

Candidates have until Aug. 28 to qualify for the third debate, which is set to take place on Sept. 12.

“We just proved that someone who wasn’t born a frontrunner, who’s from an immigrant family, who was raised by a single mom can become president too. !Vamonos!,” Castro said in an email to supporters.

Billionaire Tom Steyer is one poll away from qualifying after reaching the fundraising threshold. 

Other candidates are further behind. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) also received 2 percent in the new CNN poll, leaving her now two polls short of reaching the debate stage. Gabbard has already reached out the donor threshold.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and author Marianne Williamson have both reached the individual donor requirement but do not have a single qualifying poll yet.