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However, most of the 20 candidates who appeared in last week's Miami debates are expected to make the cut for a pair of CNN debates in Detroit on July 30 and 31. Because the July qualification rules are the same as June's, debate-watchers can expect the field of candidates who made last week's cut to be roughly the same later this month, according to media reports.
Others on the brink of elimination in September's third round of debates include former U.S. Housing Secretary Julian Castro -- in spite of his strong showing in last week's NBC debate in Miami -- and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker.
The Democratic National Committee has doubled the threshold -- and now requires candidates to have at least 2 percent support in multiple polls and 130,000 campaign donors. National polls conducted between June 28 and Aug. 28 count.
Currently, likely frontrunners to appear in the fall debates aired by ABC News include former Vice President Joe Biden, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, California Sen. Kamala Harris and South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg. A sixth Democratic candidate on the cusp of qualifying is former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke.
Although political experts and some national media outlets agreed that de Blasio fared well during last week's debate, the NYC mayor stumbled when he quoted Che Guevara, the Cuban revolutionary -- offending Miami's anti-Fidel Castro community.
Four candidates who didn't make the June 26-27 debates in Miami still have a slight chance of qualifying for this month's Detroit debates: Montana Gov. Steve Bullock; Miramar, Florida Mayor Wayne Messam; Massachusetts Congressman Seth Moulton; and former Pennsylvania Congressman Joe Sestak.
Candidates have turned to online advertising and social media o target a larger total of small donations. According to this report, Castro's campaign also sold T-shirts featuring his closing line in the debate: "Adios Trump."
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