Johnson, Stein Don't Make Debate Cutoff

Only Clinton, Trump have been invited to participate in first debate
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 16, 2016 2:42 PM CDT
Johnson, Stein Don't Make Debate Cutoff
Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson reacts as his microphone stops working during a campaign rally, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa.   (AP Photo/Scott Morgan)

Neither Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson nor Green Party candidate Jill Stein is eligible for the first presidential debate, Politico reports. In order to be invited to the debate, a candidate must be polling at 15%. The Commission on Presidential Debates announced Friday that Johnson is polling at an average of 8.4% and Stein at 3.2%, so only Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have been invited to participate in the Sept. 26 debate. In addition, Johnson's and Stein's running mates are not eligible for the vice presidential debate Oct. 4. Johnson and Stein will have two more chances to get their poll numbers up in time for the second and third presidential debates. (More Election 2016 stories.)

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