Comprehensive guide to the Democratic Debate and beyond: What you really care about

By Lily Curlin

Artwork by Elena Campos

The Democratic Debate begins at 7 pm on September 12 and will be hosted by ABC.

Joe Biden

• Experience: Former vice president

• In the polls: 33%, appeals to older more moderate voters. 

• Tagline: “The Gaffe Machine” 

• Why you care: Is pushing for a continuation and strengthening of the Affordable Care Act rather than Medicare for all. Has proposed a climate change plan that borrows heavily from the Green New Deal. 

• Other stuff he’s known for: His established reputation in politics also means a history of questionable remarks and decisions. Admonished recently for a history of inappropriate and ‘handsy’ moments with women. Widely seen as the most capable to win against Trump.

• Campaign website: https://joebiden.com

Bernie Sanders

• Experience: Independent senator from Vermont and former mayor of Burlington, Vermont 
• In the polls: 21%, much more popular than Trump. Polled higher among young white men in 2016, but now polls higher among women and people of color.
• Tagline: “I wrote the damn bill”
• Why you care: $15 minimum wage. Free college and cancellation of student debt. Calls for a democratic socialist political revolution.
• Other stuff he’s known for: Passed more amendments by floor vote than any other lawmaker from 1995 to 2005. Many of his policy ideas, such as $15 minimum wage and free college, have now been adopted by others in the Democratic party. Also, Cardi B.
• Campaign Website: https://berniesanders.com

Elizabeth Warren

• Experience: Massachusetts Senator, history in Washington
• In the polls: 16%, does well with middle-aged white democrats.
• Tagline: “Nevertheless, she persisted” 
• Why you care: Reproductive rights, free college, student debt cancellation. Would work to fill the White House with Wall-Street independent staff. 
• Other stuff she’s known for: Has a history of addressing political corruption. Is regarded as an economic genius of sorts. The Native American moment. 
• Campaign website: https://elizabethwarren.com

Kamala Harris

• Experience: Former district attorney of San Francisco, California and Senator.
• In the polls: 7%, does well with women and older millennials.
• Tagline: “For the People”
• Why you care: Healthcare for All. Pro-choice and repealing the Hyde Amendment. Supports free community college and debt-free public college. Supports the Green New Deal.
  
  
• Other stuff she’s known for: Has served in local, state, and federal government. Has been the “first” of every office she has held, and would be the first female and Asian-American president. Bold questioning during Kavanaugh hearing. Daughter of Indian and Jamacian immigrants.
• Campaign website: https://kamalaharris.org

Pete Buttigieg

• Experience: Navy veteran, Mayor of South Bend Indiana
• In the polls: 5%, draws in support from younger as well as LGBT voters.
• Tagline: “Must be a generational thing”
• Why you care: The court-packing candidate. Medicare for all who want it. Debt-free college for lower income families. Moderate democratic policy. 
• Other stuff he’s known for: Represents the interests of rural America. A gay millennial from a small town. Speaks eight languages. 
• Campaign Website: https://peteforamerica.com/meet-pete/

Cory Booker

• Experience: Senator and former mayor of Newark
• In the polls: 3%. Popular among young and African American voters. 
• Tagline: “Spartacus Moment”
• Why you care: Climate change plan, Medicare-for-all, supporter of the Green New Deal, advocate for gun control. Baby Bonds Bill to close racial gap between young Americans. 
• Other stuff he’s known for: Was aggressive in questioning Kavanaugh during Senate hearings. 
• Campaign website: https://corybooker.com

Beto O'Rourke

• Experience: Former Texas House Representative, narrowly lost race for Senate.
• In the polls: 3%, appeals to more moderate Democrats.
• Tagline: “This is [expletive] up” (in response to gun violence)
• Why you care: Was the first 2020 candidate to release a climate change plan. Has made gun control a priority since the August shooting in El Paso, Texas.
• Other stuff he’s known for: Some have said that he is ready to throw anything out there to save his dying campaign. Also, Beyonce. 
• Campaign Website: https://betoorourke.com

Andrew Yang

• Experience: Start-up and nonprofit founder. Experience in the education industry as the former CEO of a test prep company Manhattan GMAT and the founder of the non-profit Venture of America which funnels students into jobs in promising start-ups. Author of Smart People Should Make Things.
• In the polls: 3%, pulls in the young, internet-age male population that have typically become associated with Reddit memes and internet forums.
• Tagline: “MATH (Make America Think Again),” “YangGang” 
• Why you care: At the forefront of his policy is UBI, or Universal Basic Income. Under UBI, every American age 18 to 65 would receive a monthly check for $1,000. Among his other policy ideas: a plan to repurposed closed malls, plan to expand geothermal engineering to fight pollution and climate change, and the addition of a resident psychologist in the White House. 
• Other things he’s known for: “The Legion of Builders and Destroyers,” a “domestic infrastructure force” that would renovate and repair the nation’s infrastructure. Also has talked about fighting the effects of the automation of American jobs. 
• Campaign website: https://www.yang2020.com

Julián Castro

• Experience: Former HUD Secretary, former mayor of San Antonio
• In the polls: 1%, set up to pull in the Latinx vote.
• Tagline: “Pre-K for the USA”
  
  
• Why you care: Like his democratic counterparts, Castro has jumped on the affordable college bandwagon. He has pledged to expand Pell grant cap to $10,000 and has proposed policy for loan forgiveness as well as to allow student loans to be discharged through bankruptcy.
• Other stuff he’s known for: The pro-reparations candidate.
• ​Campaign website: https://www.julianforthefuture.com