Abstract
Debates have become a centerpiece of the presidential nominating contest. In this essay, I explore the role debates played in the Democrats’ 2020 primaries. While debates can help voters make decisions about candidates, several aspects of the way debates are held may have unintentional impacts on the nominating process. The Democrats struggled with an oversized field of candidates, and their solutions to this challenge probably hurt the chances of several worthy candidates. Meanwhile, news outlets’ use of debates as major events that showcase their journalists and elaborate production values often overshadows the candidates on stage. In preparing for 2024’s primary debates, America’s political parties should nevertheless avoid the trap of trying to fix the debates of 2020, and focus instead on creating debate formats that best serve the interests of candidates and rank-and-file party members.
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