De Blasio Makes Cut For First Presidential Debates

NEW YORK — He's in. Mayor Bill de Blasio has made the cut for the Democratic National Committee's first presidential debates in Miami later this month.

De Blasio is among 20 Democratic White House hopefuls who will face off in back-to-back debates on June 26 and 27, the DNC confirmed Thursday. New York's other presidential contender, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, also qualified.

"My administration has put money back in the hands of working people," de Blasio said on Twitter. "That’s what the debate in Miami should be about - how we turn around this country and give hard-working Americans a better life."

NBC, MSNBC and Telemundo will host the primetime debates in two weeks. De Blasio will spar with nine other candidates — including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who has been polling near the head of the pack — on June 26. Gillibrand will be in the second round the following day along with the frontrunner, former Vice President Joe Biden, and another top contender, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Candidates could get on the stage by getting support from at least 1 percent of voters in three qualifying polls or receiving donations from at least 65,000 people.

The DNC's official announcement came a day after a committee spokesperson disputed de Blasio's claim that he'd gotten advance notice of his inclusion in the debate.

The mayor told reporters that DNC Chairman Tom Perez told him in a text message that he would be in. But DNC Communications Director Xochitl Hinojosa said the exchange was only about a specific poll.

Here is the full list of Democrats who qualified for the debates, in alphabetical order. Four candidates did not qualify: U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel and Miramar, Florida mayor Wayne Messam.

• Michael Bennet, U.S. senator from Colorado
• Joe Biden, former vice president
• Cory Booker, U.S. senator from New Jersey
• Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana
• Julián Castro, former U.S. Housing and Urban Development secretary
• Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City
• John Delaney, former U.S. representative from Maryland
• Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. representative from Hawaii
• Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. senator from New York
• Kamala Harris, U.S. senator from California
• John Hickenlooper, former governor of Colorado
• Jay Inslee, governor of Washington
• Amy Klobuchar, U.S. senator from Minnesota
• Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. representative from Texas
• Tim Ryan, U.S. representative from Ohio
• Bernie Sanders, U.S. senator from Vermont
• Eric Swalwell, U.S. representative from California
• Elizabeth Warren, U.S. senator from Massachusetts
• Marianne Williamson, author
• Andrew Yang, entrepreneur

Correction: An earlier version of this story omitted former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel from the list of candidates who did not qualify for the debate.