With polls showing ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in a statistical tie in Iowa, the Democratic race for president has never been more competitive – or more intense.
The two have attacked each other on the airwaves and bashed each other on the campaign trail as the Feb. 1 Iowa caucus nears, and both have much to lose. Clinton’s air of inevitability would take a hit should she falter next month, while Sanders needs all the wins he could get before the race turns South.
The 9 p.m. Sunday evening timing on a holiday weekend surely means this debate won’t set any ratings records. But we’ll be watching. And here are five things you should know about tonight’s clash:
Sharp elbows. The Democrats who circle the debate stage have so far been more toned-down than their Republican counterparts. But that may be about to change. As the polls tighten, Clinton has escalated her attacks against Sanders to a new level and her daughter Chelsea has become a feisty surrogate, claiming that Sanders wants to "dismantle Obamacare." Sanders has welcomed the attention, telling reporters that the wave of criticism is a sign that Clinton's campaign is in "serious trouble." He's also hit back in other ways, including a new ad that ties his opponent to special interests.
Prime timing: This is the last Democratic debate before the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary - and the first chance for the candidates to duke it out on stage together since the race entered this sharp new phase. That means they'll both be trying as hard as ever to land punches that could sway undecided voters in Iowa and New Hampshire – and shrug off any blows headed their way.
A firearm fight. The venue for the debate is one block away from the Emanuel A.M.E. Church – the site where nine black church members were gunned down by a suspected white supremacist – guarantees that questions of gun control will play a huge role. Clinton has pounced on a Sanders vote that protected gun manufacturers from lawsuits when their weapons were used in a crime, and she's argued that he voted for a proposal that would have made it easier for some to buy guns. He's fought back by linking his position on guns to the stance of another popular Democrat: President Barack Obama.
The O'Malley factor: Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, the other candidate on the debate stage, barely mustered enough support to make it to the debate. In a distant third place, he could play the role of the wild card in this final debate before ballots are cast.
Will anyone actually watch? Democratic debate audiences have paled in comparison to GOP audiences, and the absence of Donald Trump isn't the only reason why. The Democratic National Committee seems to love airing debates on busy weekend nights. This debate – one of three sanctioned by the party on a weekend eve – faces competition from NFL playoff games and vacationers during the three-day weekend.
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