2020 Democratic Party presidential forums

Debates took place among candidates in the campaign for the Democratic Party's nomination for the president of the United States in the 2020 presidential election. Outside of DNC-sponsored debates, candidates are only allowed to attend events in which only one candidate speaks at a time.

Forums

In addition to the party-sponsored debates, many private organizations host forums focusing on select issues and candidates. Candidates do not respond directly to each other at forums.

+ # Name Issues Date Place Sponsors Ref 1Heartland ForumEconomic issues affecting rural AmericansMarch 30, 2019Buena Vista University Storm Lake, IAOpen Markets Institute Action, HuffPost, Storm Lake Times, Iowa Farmers Union 2We the People Membership SummitVarious issuesApril 1, 2019Warner Theatre Washington, DCCPD Action, CWA, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, SEIU, SEIU 32BJ, Sierra Club 3She the People Presidential ForumIssues affecting women of colorApril 24, 2019Texas Southern University Houston, TXShe the People 4National Forum on Wages and Working PeopleEconomic issues affecting low-income AmericansApril 27, 2019Las Vegas, NVSEIU, CAP Action Fund 5Unity and Freedom ForumImmigration reform and issues affecting Hispanic and Latino AmericansMay 31, 2019Pasadena, CAFIRM Action, Community Change Action, CHIRLA Action Fund 6Big Ideas ForumIdeas that can inspire voters and transform the countryJune 1, 2019Warfield Theatre San Francisco, CAMoveOn7California Democratic Party State ConventionVarious issuesMay 31-June 2, 2019San Francisco, CACalifornia Democratic Party8Iowa Democratic Party "Hall of Fame" DinnerVarious issuesJune 9, 2019Cedar Rapids, IAIowa Democratic Party 9Presidential Candidates ForumEconomic opportunity for Black AmericansJune 15, 2019Charleston Music Hall Charleston, SCBlack Economic Alliance 10Poor People's Campaign Presidential ForumIssues affecting low-income AmericansJune 17, 2019Trinity Washington University Washington, DCPoor People's Campaign 11NALEO Presidential Candidate ForumIssues affecting Hispanic and Latino AmericansJune 21, 2019Telemundo Center Miami, FLNALEO 12South Carolina Democratic Party ConventionVarious issuesJune 22, 2019Columbia, SCSouth Carolina Democratic Party 13We DecideReproductive health care and reproductive rightsJune 22, 2019University of South Carolina Columbia, SCPlanned Parenthood Action Fund 14Strong Public Schools Presidential ForumIssues affecting education and public schoolsJuly 5, 2019GRB Convention Center Houston, TXNational Education Association 15LULAC Presidential Candidates ForumIssues affecting Hispanic and Latino AmericansJuly 11, 2019Wisconsin Center Milwaukee, WILULAC, Univision 16Netroots NationProgressive issues and political organizingJuly 11–13, 2019Pennsylvania Convention Center Philadelphia, PANetroots Foundation 17Iowa Presidential Candidate ForumsIssues affecting older voters in IowaJuly 15–20, 2019Des Moines, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Sioux City, and Council Bluffs, IAAARP, The Des Moines Register 18 2020 Presidential Candidates Forum Various issuesJuly 24, 2019Detroit, MINAACP 19 Public Service Forum Public service, trade unions, labor rights, and economy Aug. 3, 2019 UNLV Paradise, NV AFSCME, HuffPost, The Nevada Independent 20 Gun Sense Forum Gun violence Aug. 10, 2019 Des Moines, IA Everytown for Gun Safety 21 Des Moines Register Political Soapbox 20-minute speeches on their political platforms Aug. 8–17, 2019 Iowa State Fair Des Moines, IA The Des Moines Register 22 Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum Issues affecting Native Americans Aug. 19–20, 2019 Orpheum Theatre Sioux City, IA Four Directions, Native Organizers Alliance, and others 23 ISNA Presidential Forum Issues affecting Muslim AmericansAug. 31, 2019Houston, TXIslamic Society of North America 24 Climate Crisis Townhall Global warmingSept. 4, 2019New York, NYCNN 25New Hampshire Democratic Party ConventionVarious issuesSept. 7, 2019SNHU Manchester, NHNew Hampshire Democratic Party 26Asian American Pacific Islanders Democratic Presidential ForumIssues affecting Asian Pacific AmericansSept. 8, 2019Segerstrom Center Costa Mesa, CAAAPI Victory Fund, Asian Americans Rising 27Workers’ Presidential SummitIssues affecting labor unions and union workersSept. 17, 2019Pennsylvania Convention Center Philadelphia, PAPhiladelphia Council AFL–CIO 28Climate ForumClimate changeSept. 19–20, 2019Georgetown University Washington, DCMSNBC, Georgetown University, Our Daily Planet 29LGBTQ ForumLGBTQ rightsSept. 20, 2019Coe College Cedar Rapids, IAOne Iowa, The Advocate, GLAAD 30People's Presidential Forum IowaHealthcare, green energy, educationSept. 21, 2019Des Moines, IAICCI Action Fund, People's Action 31Youth ForumStudents and youth issuesSept. 22, 2019Des Moines, IADes Moines Public Schools, Des Moines Register 32Gun Safety ForumGun violenceOct. 2, 2019Las Vegas, NVGiffords, March For Our Lives 33LGBTQ Town HallLGBTQ rightsOct. 10, 2019Los Angeles, CAHuman Rights Campaign, UCLA, CNN 34People's Presidential Forum NevadaCriminal justice reform, climate change, immigration, tribal sovereigntyOct. 26, 2019Las Vegas, NVPLA of Nevada Action, People's Action 35Collegiate Bipartisan Presidential ForumStudents' interests, criminal justice reform, racial justiceOct. 26–27, 2019Benedict College Columbia, SCMayor Steve Benjamin, Benedict College 36Justice Votes 2020Criminal justice reformOct. 28, 2019Eastern State Penitentiary Philadelphia, PAThe Marshall Project, Voter Education Project 37Liberty and Justice Celebration12-minute platform speechesNov. 1, 2019Des Moines, IAIowa Democratic Party 38Problem Solver ConventionVarious issuesNov. 3, 2019Manchester, NHNo Labels 39Presidential Forum on Environmental JusticeEnvironmental JusticeNov. 8, 2019SC State University Orangeburg, SCNational Black Caucus of State Legislators 40California Democratic Party Fall Endorsing Convention ForumLatino issuesNov. 16, 2019Long Beach Arena Long Beach, CACalifornia Democratic Party, Univision 41"First in The West"Various issuesNov. 17, 2019Las Vegas, NVNevada Democratic Party 42Teamsters Union ForumWorkers' rightsDec. 7, 2019Cedar Rapids, IAIBT, Storm Lake Times, The Guardian 43Public Education Forum 2020EducationDec. 14, 2019Pittsburgh, PAAFT, NEA, Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools44Unite for Mental Health: New Hampshire Town HallMental healthDec. 16, 2019Saint Anselm College Manchester, NHMental Health for US, National Council for Behavioral Health, NH Community Behavioral Health Association45Iowa Brown & Black Presidential ForumAfrican-American and Latino issuesJan. 20, 2020Des Moines, IowaVICE News46CNN New Hampshire Town HallVarious issuesFeb. 5–6, 2020Saint Anselm College Manchester, NHCNN47Moving America Forward Infrastructure ForumInfrastructure policyFeb. 16, 2020UNLV Las Vegas, NVIUOE, TWUA, APTA, ARTBA, AEM, ASCE, and others48CNN Nevada Town HallVarious issuesFeb. 18 & 20, 2020Las Vegas, NVCNN49CNN South Carolina Town HallVarious issuesFeb. 24 & 26, 2020Charleston, South CarolinaCNN50AIPAC Policy Conference US-Israel relations Mar. 2 & 3, 2020Washington, D.C.AIPAC, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations

Forum participation Ojeda withdrew before the beginning of the forums.

Candidate Present Invited Not invited Absent Not yet entered race Withdrawn colspan=4 colspan=3 colspan=4 colspan=2 colspan=4 colspan=2 colspan=13 colspan=14 colspan=2 colspan=2 colspan=6

Candidate Present Invited Not invited Absent Not yet entered race Withdrawn colspan=19 colspan=4 colspan=7 colspan=12 colspan=18 colspan=18 colspan=18 colspan=19

Messam withdrew from the race between the 40th and 41st forum.

Candidate Present Invited Not invited Absent Not yet entered race Withdrawn colspan=16 colspan=16 colspan=16 colspan=15 colspan=16 colspan=16 colspan=16 colspan=19 colspan=19 colspan=19

Other participants In a few of the forums, Republicans Bill Weld and Joe Walsh also participated. St. Anselm College's quadrennial "Lesser-Known Candidates Forum" took place on January 28, 2020.

Incidents Big Ideas Forum stage invasion On June 1 during the Big Ideas Forum, a 24-year-old animal rights activist named Aidan Cook stole Sen. Kamala Harris's microphone while she answered a question about equal pay. Security officials and Harris's husband removed Cook from the stage. After the incident, Sen. Cory Booker told CNN he watched the video and was upset with the interference saying, "He crossed a line, this election's going to go on and I'm really hoping that we see Secret Service and others begin to step in because that really could have been a horrifying moment. Kamala's like a sister to me, I love her and that makes me very upset."

2019 Second Step Presidential Justice Forum award Sponsored by the 20/20 Bipartisan Justice Center, an alliance of Democrat and Republican African Americans seeking criminal justice reform, this presidential candidate forum was scheduled for October 25–27 at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina. On its first day, President Trump was presented the Bipartisan Justice award for his part in passing the First Step Act, following which Kamala Harris announced she was pulling out of the forum, which in turn prompted criticism from Trump. Mayor Steve Benjamin of Columbia (a co-sponsor of the forum) later announced that he had organized an alternative event called the Collegiate Bipartisan Presidential Forum, scheduled October 26–27, 2019, which Harris announced she would attend.

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