# 2020 Democratic Party presidential forums

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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 |
| 1 | Heartland Forum | Economic issues affecting rural Americans | March 30, 2019 | Buena Vista University Storm Lake, IA | Open Markets Institute Action, HuffPost, Storm Lake Times, Iowa Farmers Union |
| 2 | We the People Membership Summit | Various issues | April 1, 2019 | Warner Theatre Washington, DC | CPD Action, CWA, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, SEIU, SEIU 32BJ, Sierra Club |
| 3 | She the People Presidential Forum | Issues affecting women of color | April 24, 2019 | Texas Southern University Houston, TX | She the People |
| 4 | National Forum on Wages and Working People | Economic issues affecting low-income Americans | April 27, 2019 | Las Vegas, NV | SEIU, CAP Action Fund |
| 5 | Unity and Freedom Forum | Immigration reform and issues affecting Hispanic and Latino Americans | May 31, 2019 | Pasadena, CA | FIRM Action, Community Change Action, CHIRLA Action Fund |
| 6 | Big Ideas Forum | Ideas that can inspire voters and transform the country | June 1, 2019 | Warfield Theatre San Francisco, CA | MoveOn |
| 7 | California Democratic Party State Convention | Various issues | May 31-June 2, 2019 | San Francisco, CA | California Democratic Party |
| 8 | Iowa Democratic Party "Hall of Fame" Dinner | Various issues | June 9, 2019 | Cedar Rapids, IA | Iowa Democratic Party |
| 9 | Presidential Candidates Forum | Economic opportunity for Black Americans | June 15, 2019 | Charleston Music Hall Charleston, SC | Black Economic Alliance |
| 10 | Poor People's Campaign Presidential Forum | Issues affecting low-income Americans | June 17, 2019 | Trinity Washington University Washington, DC | Poor People's Campaign |
| 11 | NALEO Presidential Candidate Forum | Issues affecting Hispanic and Latino Americans | June 21, 2019 | Telemundo Center Miami, FL | NALEO |
| 12 | South Carolina Democratic Party Convention | Various issues | June 22, 2019 | Columbia, SC | South Carolina Democratic Party |
| 13 | We Decide | Reproductive health care and reproductive rights | June 22, 2019 | University of South Carolina Columbia, SC | Planned Parenthood Action Fund |
| 14 | Strong Public Schools Presidential Forum | Issues affecting education and public schools | July 5, 2019 | GRB Convention Center Houston, TX | National Education Association |
| 15 | LULAC Presidential Candidates Forum | Issues affecting Hispanic and Latino Americans | July 11, 2019 | Wisconsin Center Milwaukee, WI | LULAC, Univision |
| 16 | Netroots Nation | Progressive issues and political organizing | July 11–13, 2019 | Pennsylvania Convention Center Philadelphia, PA | Netroots Foundation |
| 17 | Iowa Presidential Candidate Forums | Issues affecting older voters in Iowa | July 15–20, 2019 | Des Moines, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Sioux City, and Council Bluffs, IA | AARP, The Des Moines Register |
| 18 | 2020 Presidential Candidates Forum | Various issues | July 24, 2019 | Detroit, MI | NAACP |
| 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 Americans | Aug. 31, 2019 | Houston, TX | Islamic Society of North America |
| 24 | Climate Crisis Townhall | Global warming | Sept. 4, 2019 | New York, NY | CNN |
| 25 | New Hampshire Democratic Party Convention | Various issues | Sept. 7, 2019 | SNHU Manchester, NH | New Hampshire Democratic Party |
| 26 | Asian American Pacific Islanders Democratic Presidential Forum | Issues affecting Asian Pacific Americans | Sept. 8, 2019 | Segerstrom Center Costa Mesa, CA | AAPI Victory Fund, Asian Americans Rising |
| 27 | Workers’ Presidential Summit | Issues affecting labor unions and union workers | Sept. 17, 2019 | Pennsylvania Convention Center Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia Council AFL–CIO |
| 28 | Climate Forum | Climate change | Sept. 19–20, 2019 | Georgetown University Washington, DC | MSNBC, Georgetown University, Our Daily Planet |
| 29 | LGBTQ Forum | LGBTQ rights | Sept. 20, 2019 | Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA | One Iowa, The Advocate, GLAAD |
| 30 | People's Presidential Forum Iowa | Healthcare, green energy, education | Sept. 21, 2019 | Des Moines, IA | ICCI Action Fund, People's Action |
| 31 | Youth Forum | Students and youth issues | Sept. 22, 2019 | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines Public Schools, Des Moines Register |
| 32 | Gun Safety Forum | Gun violence | Oct. 2, 2019 | Las Vegas, NV | Giffords, March For Our Lives |
| 33 | LGBTQ Town Hall | LGBTQ rights | Oct. 10, 2019 | Los Angeles, CA | Human Rights Campaign, UCLA, CNN |
| 34 | People's Presidential Forum Nevada | Criminal justice reform, climate change, immigration, tribal sovereignty | Oct. 26, 2019 | Las Vegas, NV | PLA of Nevada Action, People's Action |
| 35 | Collegiate Bipartisan Presidential Forum | Students' interests, criminal justice reform, racial justice | Oct. 26–27, 2019 | Benedict College Columbia, SC | Mayor Steve Benjamin, Benedict College |
| 36 | Justice Votes 2020 | Criminal justice reform | Oct. 28, 2019 | Eastern State Penitentiary Philadelphia, PA | The Marshall Project, Voter Education Project |
| 37 | Liberty and Justice Celebration | 12-minute platform speeches | Nov. 1, 2019 | Des Moines, IA | Iowa Democratic Party |
| 38 | Problem Solver Convention | Various issues | Nov. 3, 2019 | Manchester, NH | No Labels |
| 39 | Presidential Forum on Environmental Justice | Environmental Justice | Nov. 8, 2019 | SC State University Orangeburg, SC | National Black Caucus of State Legislators |
| 40 | California Democratic Party Fall Endorsing Convention Forum | Latino issues | Nov. 16, 2019 | Long Beach Arena Long Beach, CA | California Democratic Party, Univision |
| 41 | "First in The West" | Various issues | Nov. 17, 2019 | Las Vegas, NV | Nevada Democratic Party |
| 42 | Teamsters Union Forum | Workers' rights | Dec. 7, 2019 | Cedar Rapids, IA | IBT, Storm Lake Times, The Guardian |
| 43 | Public Education Forum 2020 | Education | Dec. 14, 2019 | Pittsburgh, PA | AFT, NEA, Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools |
| 44 | Unite for Mental Health: New Hampshire Town Hall | Mental health | Dec. 16, 2019 | Saint Anselm College Manchester, NH | Mental Health for US, National Council for Behavioral Health, NH Community Behavioral Health Association |
| 45 | Iowa Brown & Black Presidential Forum | African-American and Latino issues | Jan. 20, 2020 | Des Moines, Iowa | VICE News |
| 46 | CNN New Hampshire Town Hall | Various issues | Feb. 5–6, 2020 | Saint Anselm College Manchester, NH | CNN |
| 47 | Moving America Forward Infrastructure Forum | Infrastructure policy | Feb. 16, 2020 | UNLV Las Vegas, NV | IUOE, TWUA, APTA, ARTBA, AEM, ASCE, and others |
| 48 | CNN Nevada Town Hall | Various issues | Feb. 18 & 20, 2020 | Las Vegas, NV | CNN |
| 49 | CNN South Carolina Town Hall | Various issues | Feb. 24 & 26, 2020 | Charleston, South Carolina | CNN |
| 50 | AIPAC Policy Conference | US-Israel relations | Mar. 2 & 3, 2020 | Washington, D.C. | AIPAC, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations |

### Forum participation

Ojeda withdrew before the beginning of the forums.
| Candidate |
| Candidate | P Present  I Invited  N Not invited  A Absent  Out Not yet entered race  W Withdrawn |
| Candidate | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| Michael Bennet | Out | Out | Out | Out | A | A | A | P | A | P | A | P | P | A | A | A | P | A | P | P |
| Joe Biden | Out | Out | Out | A | A | A | A | A | A | P | A | P | P | P | A | A | P | P | P | P |
| Cory Booker | A | P | P | A | A | P | P | P | P | A | A | P | P | A | A | A | P | P | P | P |
| Steve Bullock | Out | Out | Out | Out | A | A | A | P | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | P | A | P | P |
| Pete Buttigieg | Out | Out | A | A | A | A | P | A | P | A | P | P | P | A | A | A | P | P | P | P |
| Julian Castro | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | A | A | A | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P |
| Bill de Blasio | Out | Out | Out | Out | A | A | A | P | A | A | A | P | P | P | A | A | A | A | P | P |
| John Delaney | P | A | A | A | A | A | P | P | A | A | A | P | P | A | A | A | P | A | P | P |
| Tulsi Gabbard | A | A | P | A | A | A | P | P | A | A | A | P | A | A | A | A | P | A | P | P |
| Kirsten Gillibrand | A | P | A | A | A | P | P | P | A | A | A | P | P | A | A | P | P | A | A | P |
| Kamala Harris | A | A | P | P | P | P | P | P | A | P | A | P | P | P | A | A | P | P | P | P |
| John Hickenlooper | A | A | A | P | A | A | P | P | A | A | P | P | P | A | A | A | P | A | N | P |
| Jay Inslee | A | P | A | A | P | A | P | P | A | A | A | P | P | P | A | P | N | A | P | P |
| Amy Klobuchar | P | P | P | P | A | P | P | P | A | A | P | P | P | P | A | A | P | P | P | P |
| Wayne Messam | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | P | A | A | A | A | A | A | N | A | N | N |
| Seth Moulton | Out | Out | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | P | P | A | A | A | N | A | P | P |
| Beto O'Rourke | A | P | P | P | A | P | P | P | P | A | P | P | P | P | P | A | P | P | P | P |
| Tim Ryan | P | Out | A | A | A | A | A | P | A | A | A | P | P | P | A | A | A | A | P | P |
| Bernie Sanders | A | P | P | A | P | P | P | P | A | P | P | P | P | P | P | A | P | P | P | P |
| Joe Sestak | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | A | A | A | N | A | N | P |
| Tom Steyer | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | A | A | N | A | P | P |
| Elizabeth Warren | P | P | P | P | A | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P |
| Marianne Williamson | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | P | A | P | A | P | P | A | A | A | P | A | P | N |
| Andrew Yang | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | P | A | P | A | P | P | A | A | A | P | A | N | P |
| Mike Gravel | Out | Out | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | N | A | A | W |
| Eric Swalwell | Out | Out | A | A | A | A | P | P | A | P | P | P | P | A | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Candidate |
| Candidate | P Present  I Invited  N Not invited  A Absent  Out Not yet entered race  W Withdrawn |
| Candidate | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 |
| Michael Bennet | P | A | A | N | P | A | A | P | A | N | P | N | N | A | A | A | P | A | A | N |
| Joe Biden | P | A | A | P | P | A | P | A | P | N | A | P | P | A | P | A | P | A | A | A |
| Cory Booker | P | A | A | P | P | A | A | P | P | N | A | P | P | A | P | P | P | A | P | P |
| Steve Bullock | P | P | A | N | P | A | A | P | A | N | A | N | N | A | A | A | P | A | A | A |
| Pete Buttigieg | P | A | A | P | P | A | A | P | P | P | A | P | P | A | P | A | P | A | A | P |
| Julian Castro | P | P | P | P | P | A | A | P | P | P | A | P | P | P | P | A | P | A | A | P |
| John Delaney | P | P | A | N | P | A | A | P | A | N | A | N | N | A | P | A | P | P | P | N |
| Tulsi Gabbard | P | A | A | N | P | P | A | A | P | N | P | N | A | A | P | A | N | P | A | A |
| Kamala Harris | P | P | A | P | P | A | A | A | P | A | A | P | P | A | P | P | P | A | A | P |
| Amy Klobuchar | P | P | A | P | P | A | P | A | P | N | A | P | P | A | P | A | P | A | A | P |
| Wayne Messam | A | A | A | N | A | A | A | A | A | N | A | N | N | A | A | A | N | A | A | N |
| Deval Patrick | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | Out | N |
| Bernie Sanders | P | P | P | P | P | A | P | P | A | P | P | A | A | P | P | A | P | A | A | P |
| Joe Sestak | P | P | A | N | P | A | A | A | P | N | P | N | N | A | A | A | N | A | P | N |
| Tom Steyer | P | A | A | N | P | P | P | P | A | N | P | N | P | A | A | P | P | A | P | P |
| Elizabeth Warren | P | P | A | P | P | A | A | A | P | P | A | P | P | A | P | A | P | A | P | A |
| Marianne Williamson | P | P | A | N | P | A | A | P | P | N | A | N | N | A | A | A | N | P | P | N |
| Andrew Yang | P | A | A | P | P | P | P | P | A | N | P | P | A | P | A | A | P | A | A | P |
| Beto O'Rourke | A | A | A | P | P | A | A | A | A | N | A | P | P | A | A | A | W | W | W | W |
| Tim Ryan | P | A | A | N | P | A | A | P | A | N | A | N | N | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Bill de Blasio | P | P | A | N | P | A | P | A | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Kirsten Gillibrand | P | A | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Seth Moulton | P | A | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Jay Inslee | P | A | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| John Hickenlooper | P | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
Messam withdrew from the race between the 40th and 41st forum.
| Candidate |
| Candidate | P Present  I Invited  N Not invited  A Absent  Out Not yet entered race  W Withdrawn |
| Candidate | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 |
| Joe Biden | P | P | P | A | P | P | P | P | P | P |
| Tulsi Gabbard | A | A | A | P | A | N | A | N | N | N |
| Bernie Sanders | P | P | P | A | P | P | A | P | P | A |
| Elizabeth Warren | P | A | P | A | P | P | A | P | P | A |
| Michael Bloomberg | Out | A | N | A | N | N | A | A | P | P |
| Amy Klobuchar | P | P | P | A | P | P | P | P | P | P |
| Pete Buttigieg | P | P | P | A | P | P | P | P | P | P |
| Tom Steyer | P | P | P | A | A | P | P | N | P | W |
| Deval Patrick | P | A | A | P | A | P | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Andrew Yang | P | A | A | A | P | P | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Michael Bennet | P | A | P | A | P | N | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| John Delaney | P | A | N | A | P | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Cory Booker | P | P | A | A | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Marianne Williamson | A | A | N | A | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Julian Castro | P | A | A | A | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Kamala Harris | A | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Steve Bullock | A | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Joe Sestak | P | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |

## 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.