NBC Reveals Who Will Take Center Stage At The Debate

on January 3, 2013 in Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 03: U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) (L) participates in a reenacted swearing-in with his wife Jane OÕMeara Sanders and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in the Old Senate Chamber at the U.S. C... WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 03: U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) (L) participates in a reenacted swearing-in with his wife Jane OÕMeara Sanders and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in the Old Senate Chamber at the U.S. Capitol January 3, 2013 in Washington, DC. Biden swore in the newly-elected and re-elected senators earlier in the day on the floor of the current Senate chamber. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

The Democratic hopefuls will be arranged on the debate stage based on their polling results through June 12, meaning that Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) will take center on the first night. Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) will share the middle on the second night.

According to NBC, the network hosting the event, the highest-polling candidates were put at the center, trickling out to the lowest polling hopefuls on the edges of the stages.

The bookends for the first night are New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and former Rep. John Delaney (D-MD); self-help speaker Marianne Williamson and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) will take the flanks on the second.

Night one, June 26, will be laid out right to left: de Blasio, Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), HUD Secretary Julián Castro, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Warren, O’Rourke, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Delaney.

Night two will feature, from left to right: Williamson, former Colorado John Hickenlooper, entrepreneur Andrew Yang, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Biden, Sanders, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Swalwell.

The debates will air from 9 p.m. ET to 11 p.m. ET and be moderated by Savannah Guthrie, Lester Holt, Chuck Todd, Rachel Maddow and José Diaz-Balart.

Here’s everything you need to know about the first debate.

Latest News
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: