By Gerry Mullany

Democrats Plan Six Presidential Debates, Starting This Fall

By
Gerry Mullany
An overflow crowd watched Hillary Rodham Clinton on a screen during a debate in 2008 at the Kimmel Theater at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Damon Winter/The New York Times

The Democratic National Committee said Tuesday that it would sanction six debates in the current presidential nominating fight, holding at least one in each of four early-nominating states: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada.

“We’ve always believed that we would have a competitive primary process, and that debates would be an important part of that process,” Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the D.N.C. chairwoman, said in a statement. “Our debate schedule will not only give Democratic voters multiple opportunities to size up the candidates for the nomination side-by-side, but will give all Americans a chance to see a unified Democratic vision of economic opportunity and progress – no matter whom our nominee may be.”

Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign welcomed the development as a chance to debate the issues:

The debates would begin in the fall of 2015, “when voters are truly beginning to pay attention,” Ms. Wasserman Schultz said. The first nominating contests will be held in February in Iowa, which holds caucuses, and New Hampshire, which holds the first-in-the-nation primary.

The political parties have struggled to put a cap on the number of debates this time around, particularly the Republicans, whose candidates engaged in 20 debates in 2012. Party leaders felt the large number of debates could have helped contribute to Mitt Romney’s November general election loss by making him go through a bruising and lengthy nominating fight.

The D.N.C. suggested in its statement that it would take action against any candidate who participates in debates not approved by the party, even excluding them from the newly sanctioned debates.

“Any candidate or debate sponsor wishing to participate in D.N.C. debates, must agree to participate exclusively in the D.N.C.-sanctioned process,” the statement said. “Any violation would result in forfeiture of the ability to participate in the remainder of the debate process.”

The D.N.C. did not detail what criteria it would use in judging a candidate’s eligibility for the debates. In the past, parties and media outlets have sometimes used polling numbers, disqualifying lesser-know candidates.

So far, Mrs. Clinton faces only one major declared opponent: Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. But Lis Smith, a spokeswoman for one likely opponent, former Gov. Martin O’Malley of Maryland, warned against trying to keep candidates out of the debates.

“If Governor O’Malley decides to run, we will expect a full, robust, and inclusive set of debates — both nationally and in early primary and caucus states,” she said. “This has been customary in previous primary seasons. In a year as critical as 2016, exclusivity does no one any favors.”