Democrats to Face Off in 6 Primary Debates
The Democratic National Committee announced Tuesday that it will approve six presidential primary debates for those seeking the nomination beginning this fall. Each of the four early states  Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina  will host debates, the party announced. The move follows the Republican Party's effective takeover the debates process following an internal review of its 2012 defeat. "We've always believed that we would have a competitive primary process, and that debates would be an important part of that process," DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz 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.", Like the Republican rules, any candidate participating in an officially sanctioned debate must agree to participate exclusively in those debates. The six debate schedule is more modest than the RNC's effort, which has capped the number of debates at 11, beginning this August. But Democrats have the inverse problem of the GOPwhich is struggling with how to fit a massive field on stageneeding to build out a crop of candidates to debate Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton. Clinton's campaign has expressed openness to debating primary rivals, but has not agreed to any of the as-yet-unscheduled contests.