The Democratic National Committee announced on Thursday that the Democratic primary debate between 2020 presidential candidates Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Sunday will be held in Washington, D.C. instead of Phoenix, Arizona as a cautionary measure against COVID-19.
“Out of an abundance of caution and in order to reduce cross-country travel, all parties have decided that the best path forward is to hold Sunday’s debate at CNN’s studio in Washington, D.C., with no live audience,” DNC communication director Xochitl Hinojosa said in a statement.
She also said that one of the debate moderators, Univision anchor Jorge Ramos, would not be attending the event after it was discovered he had been “in proximity” with an individual who was in contact with a coronavirus patient. He will be replaced by Univision reporter Ilia Calderón.
The DNC had announced on Wednesday that there would be no live audience at the debate. CNN, which is hosting the debate, also announced that there would be no spin room or press filing center either.
The debate is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EST on March 15.
