The same day Republican candidates will share a stage for the first time, the Democratic National Committee announced that its first debate will be held on October 13.
Democratic candidates will debate a total of six times during the primary, beginning with the October debate in Nevada, hosted by CNN. The first four debates focus on the four traditional early states: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada. After the October debate, the party has scheduled a November 14 debate in Des Moines (hosted by CBS/KCCI/The Des Moines Register), followed by one on December 19 in Manchester, New Hampshire (hosted by ABC and WMUR), and another on January 17 in Charleston, South Carolina (hosted by NBC and the Congressional Black Caucus Institute).
Dates for the fifth and sixth debates — one in Miami, hosted by Univision and The Washington Post, and one in Wisconsin, hosted by PBS — have not yet been set. They're currently slated for sometime in February or March, after the first nominating contests have been held. (The Iowa caucuses will be held on February 1.)
"These six debates will not only give caucusgoers and primary voters ample opportunity to hear from our candidates about their vision for our country's future, they will highlight the clear contrast between the values of the Democratic Party, which is focused on strengthening the middle class versus Republicans who want to pursue out-of-touch and out-of-date policies," DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said in a statement.