The Independent View: Surging Steyer Qualifies for Democratic Presidential Dec. Debate

Billionaire Tom Steyer has Qualified for Next Week's Democratic Presidential Debate, on Jan. 14th in Iowa, on the Strength of an apparent Polling Surge in Two Early-Nominating States.

Two Fox News Polls released on Thursday evening, just One day ahead of the Qualification Deadline, show Steyer in Double-Digits, moving Past some Top-Tier Candidates on his way to making the Debate Stage. There is One more Poll coming before the Qualifying Deadline, the Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Poll, which will be released Friday evening.

In a New Fox News Poll in Nevada, former Vice President Joe Biden Leads Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), 23% to 17%. Steyer is Tied for Third Place with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA, with both at 12%. Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, is a distant Fifth at 6%, followed by Andrew Yang’s 4%.

In a Second New Poll, in South Carolina, Biden is well ahead with 36% of the Vote. But Steyer is in Second Place with 15%, jockeying with Sanders at 14%, and Warren at 10%. No other Candidate Cracks Double Digits. Buttigieg is well back in Fifth, at 4% with no other Candidate higher than 2%.

Steyer has inundated Early-State Markets with Advertising since beginning his Presidential Bid last July. In Six months he’s shoveled out $11.2 Million in South Carolina on TV Spots and Lots of Direct Mail Appeals. In Nevada, he's put out $10.3 Million in Television and Radio Ads so far, and has an additional $270,000 Booked. That's well ahead of the Second-Highest Spender in the State. Warren, who has $1.2 Million Aired or Booked through February.

Steyer's most recent TV Spot, airing exclusively in South Carolina and Nevada Markets, features mostly Black and Hispanic Voters lauding his Ability to Beat Trump. One Ad in Nevada is entirely in Spanish.

In South Carolina, which is the Largest Early State by Population but Votes Fourth in the Democratic Nominating Process, Steyer is Outspending the rest of the Field by Several Million dollars, including Biden, who has Earmarked over $800,000 in Ads there so far but has Promised $6 Million to spend closer to the Feb. 29th Primary.

Steyer joins Five other Candidates who have already Qualified for the Debate: Biden, Buttigieg, Senators: Amy Klobuchar, Sanders, and Warren.

The Pair of Fox Pews Polls does Not bring any of the other bubble Candidates any Closer to making it on Stage, with the Friday Night Deadline rapidly approaching.

Yang, who has said he has Hit the Donor Mark, but only has One of the Four needed Polls, was at 4% in Nevada and 2% in South Carolina.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), who has Hit the Donor Mark but has Not reached 5% Support in any Qualifying Polls, was at 3% in Nevada and 2% in South Carolina.

The Last Candidate with an outside shot, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI, 2nd District), who has Not Publicly said she has Hit the Donor Mark, but was within Striking Distance and also does Not have any Qualifying Polls, registered 2% Support in Nevada and 1% in South Carolina.

DNC Chairman Tom Perez, said on MSNBC earlier in the week, the Party would Reschedule the Debate if the Trial, which requires Klobuchar, Sanders, and Warren to attend, creates a Conflict. "Obviously, if there’s a trial on the 14th, then we’ll move the debate. If there’s not, then we’re going to have the debate.”

All Three Fox News Polls were conducted between Jan. 5th-8th. The South Carolina Poll surveyed 808 Democratic Primary Voters and has a Margin of Error of plus-or-minus 3.5 percentage points. The Nevada Poll surveyed 635 Democratic Caucus-Goers and has a Margin of Error of plus-or-minus 4 percentage points. The Wisconsin Poll surveyed 671 Democratic Primary Voters, with a Margin of Error of plus-or-minus 3.5 percentage points. For the General Election Matchups, 1,504 Voters were Polled, with a Margin of Error of plus-or-minus 2.5 percentage points.

Marianne Williamson ended her 2020 Democratic Presidential Campaign on Friday after Failing to Gain Traction in a Crowded Democratic Field. "I stayed in the race to take advantage of every possible opportunity to share our message. With caucuses and primaries now about to begin, however, we will not be able to garner enough votes in the election to elevate our conversation any more than it is now," Williamson wrote in a Message to Supporters. "The primaries might be tightly contested among the top contenders, and I don't want to get in the way of a progressive candidate winning any of them," Williamson continued. Williamson Pledged to Fully Support the Democratic Nominee.