Democratic Debate: Everything You Need To Know About Tuesday's Face-Off

By Arnie Seipel / NPR

Published October 14, 2019 at 11:00 PM PDT

This story was published more than 5 years ago.

Twelve Democratic candidates are facing off in the fourth primary debate of the 2020 campaign on Tuesday in Westerville, Ohio.

There's a lot to watch for in Tuesday's Democratic presidential debate in Ohio.

Candidates will navigate how to address impeachment and President Trump's attacks on Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Elizabeth Warren steps onto the stage having moved steadily to the front of the pack. Bernie Sanders returns after suffering a heart attack on the campaign trail. And nine other candidates will round out a crowded stage where time to impress voters will be scarce.

Here's how to follow along with the action onstage:

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When is the debate?

It begins at 8 p.m. ET. The CNN/New York Times Democratic Presidential Debate airs live on CNN. You can also listen to it on many local NPR stations.

We will provide live analysis and fact-checking of the debate here on NPR.org through the evening.

Who is in the debate?

Twelve candidates met the October debate requirements, the most appearing together at one time in a debate this year. They are:

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Former Vice President Joe Biden; New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker; South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg; former HUD Secretary Julián Castro; Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard; California Sen. Kamala Harris; Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar; former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke; Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders; billionaire investor and activist Tom Steyer; Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren; and entrepreneur Andrew Yang.

Read more about how they qualified, and who didn't make the cut.

Who is moderating the debate?

CNN anchor Erin Burnett, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper and New York Times national editor Marc Lacey.

Where is the debate?

Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio, near the state capital of Columbus.

What are the candidates' policies?

You can compare the Democratic presidential candidates' positions here on issues including health care, guns, climate, trade, immigration and governing.

The NPR Politics Podcast previewed the debate in its most recent episode, and the podcast team will be back in the studio after the debate, breaking down everything that happens onstage.

You can get more of NPR's reporting from the campaign trail by following @nprpolitics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; or by subscribing to the NPR Politics Newsletter.