2020 Democratic Party presidential forums


The 2020 Democratic Party presidential forums have taken 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.
#NameIssuesDatePlaceSponsorsRef
1Heartland ForumEconomic issues affecting rural AmericansMarch 30, 2019Buena Vista University
Storm Lake, IA		Open Markets Institute Action, HuffPost, Storm Lake Times, Iowa Farmers Union
2We the People Membership SummitVarious issuesApril 1, 2019Warner Theatre
Washington, DC		CPD 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, TX		She 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, CA		MoveOn
7California Democratic Party State ConventionVarious issuesMay 31-June 2, 2019San Francisco, CACalifornia Democratic Party
8Iowa 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, SC		Black Economic Alliance
10Poor People's Campaign Presidential ForumIssues affecting low-income AmericansJune 17, 2019Trinity Washington University
Washington, DC
11NALEO Presidential Candidate ForumIssues affecting Hispanic and Latino AmericansJune 21, 2019Telemundo Center
Miami, FL		NALEO
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, SC		Planned Parenthood Action Fund
14Strong Public Schools Presidential ForumIssues affecting education and public schoolsJuly 5, 2019GRB Convention Center
Houston, TX		National Education Association
15LULAC Presidential Candidates ForumIssues affecting Hispanic and Latino AmericansJuly 11, 2019Wisconsin Center
Milwaukee, WI		LULAC, Univision
16Netroots NationProgressive issues and political organizingJuly 11–13, 2019Pennsylvania Convention Center
Philadelphia, PA		Netroots 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
182020 Presidential Candidates ForumVarious issuesJuly 24, 2019Detroit, MINAACP
19Public Service ForumPublic service, trade unions, labor rights, and economyAug. 3, 2019UNLV
Paradise, NV		AFSCME, HuffPost,
20Gun Sense ForumGun violenceAug. 10, 2019Des Moines, IAEverytown for Gun Safety
21Des Moines Register Political Soapbox20-minute speeches on their political platformsAug. 8–17, 2019Iowa State Fair
Des Moines, IA		The Des Moines Register
22Frank LaMere Native American Presidential ForumIssues affecting Native AmericansAug. 19–20, 2019Orpheum Theatre
Sioux City, IA		Four Directions, Native Organizers Alliance, and others
23ISNA Presidential ForumIssues affecting Muslim AmericansAug. 31, 2019Houston, TXIslamic Society of North America
24Climate Crisis TownhallGlobal warmingSept. 4, 2019New York, NYCNN
25New Hampshire Democratic Party ConventionVarious issuesSept. 7, 2019SNHU
Manchester, NH		New Hampshire Democratic Party
26Asian American Pacific Islanders Democratic Presidential ForumIssues affecting Asian Pacific AmericansSept. 8, 2019Segerstrom Center
Costa Mesa, CA		AAPI Victory Fund, Asian Americans Rising
27Workers’ Presidential SummitIssues affecting labor unions and union workersSept. 17, 2019Pennsylvania Convention Center
Philadelphia, PA		Philadelphia Council AFL–CIO
28Climate ForumClimate changeSept. 19–20, 2019Georgetown University
Washington, DC		MSNBC, Georgetown University, Our Daily Planet
29LGBTQ ForumLGBTQ rightsSept. 20, 2019Coe College
Cedar Rapids, IA		One 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, SC		Mayor Steve Benjamin, Benedict College
36Justice Votes 2020Criminal justice reformOct. 28, 2019Eastern State Penitentiary
Philadelphia, PA		The 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, SC		National Black Caucus of State Legislators
40California Democratic Party Fall Endorsing Convention ForumLatino issuesNov. 16, 2019Long Beach Arena
Long Beach, CA		California 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 Schools
44Unite for Mental Health: New Hampshire Town HallMental healthDec. 16, 2019Saint Anselm College
Manchester, NH		, ,
45Iowa Brown & Black Presidential ForumAfrican-American and Latino issuesJan. 20, 2020Des Moines, IowaVICE News
46CNN New Hampshire Town HallVarious issuesFeb. 5–6, 2020Saint Anselm College
Manchester, NH		CNN
47Moving America Forward Infrastructure ForumInfrastructure policyFeb. 16, 2020UNLV
Las Vegas, NV		IUOE, TWUA, APTA, ARTBA, AEM, ASCE, and others
48CNN Nevada Town HallVarious issuesFeb. 18 & 20, 2020Las Vegas, NVCNN
49CNN South Carolina Town HallVarious issuesFeb. 24 & 26, 2020Charleston, South CarolinaCNN
50AIPAC Policy ConferenceUS-Israel relationsMar. 2 & 3, 2020Washington, D.C.AIPAC, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations

Forum participation

Ojeda withdrew before the beginning of the forums.


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

Other participants

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

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 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.