Candidate Forums

Many of the candidate forums or "cattle shows" are organized by interest groups (see also Interest Group Activity).  Having a series of presidential candidates appearing on stage at one event speaking to a groups' concerns is a good way for the group to advance its message.  For group members and activists attending, forums provide an excellent opportunity to compare the candidates, and for the candidates these events provide opportunities to connect with activists.  In addition to interest group forums, state and local parties also put on multi-candidate event, often as fundraisers.  Of course the candidates have busy schedules, so the campaigns pick and choose among the many invitations committing to events which best fit their interests.  Forums started filling the calendar in April as the field took shape.  Many of the forums are in the early states.  Interest groups will sometimes time an event to coincide with a large party event for which many of the candidates are in town.  Some of the events have polling cutoffs and others are open to all recognized major candidates.  With so many candidates running, credible events can attract at least four or five candidates, and many draw a dozen or more.


updated Apr. 12, 2020  suggestions welcome and encouraged  action 08 @ gmail

     Candidate Forums
       * indicates Democratic party event

FEBRUARY
Feb. 26, 2020 (N. Charleston, SC) - Rev. Al Sharpton and NAN Ministers' Breakfast.

*Feb. 24, 2020 (Charleston, SC) - South Carolina Democratic Party First in the South Dinner.

Feb. 16, 2020 (Las Vegas, NV) - "Moving America Forward" Presidential Candidate Forum.

*Feb. 15, 2020 (Las Vegas, NV) - Clark County Democrats' Kick-Off to Caucus.

*Feb. 8, 2020 (Manchester, NH) - NHDP 61st Annual McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner.

Feb. 8, 2020 (Concord, NH) - Our Rights, Our Courts New Hampshire Presidential Forum.

Feb. 6, 2020 (Durham, NH) - College Costs & Debt in the 2020 Elections.

Feb. 5, 2020 (Concord, NH) - NH Youth Climate and Clean Energy Town Hall.


JANUARY
Jan. 20, 2020 (Des Moines, IA) - Iowa Brown & Black Democratic Presidential Forum.

Jan. 20, 2020 (Columbia, SC) - King Day at the Dome.

Jan. 19, 2020 (Ankeny, IA) - USCRI Presidential Forum on Immigration.

Jan. 19, 2020 (Des Moines, IA) - We The People 2020: Protecting our Democracy a Decade After Citizens United.

Jan. 18, 2020 (West Des Moines, IA) - ISEA Legislative Conference.

Jan. 14-15, 2020 (Las Vegas, NV) - Native American Presidential Forum 2020.

Jan. 13, 2020 (Austin, TX) - 2020 Presidential Forum on Disability Issues.POSTPONED

Jan. 12, 2020 (Davenport, IA) - The People's Caucus.

DECEMBER 2019
Dec. 16, 2019 (Manchester, NH) - Unite for Mental Health: New Hampshire Town Hall.

Dec. 14, 2019 (Pittsburgh, PA) - Public Education Forum 2020: Equity and Justice for All.

Dec. 7, 2019 (Cedar Rapids, IA) - Teamsters Presidential Candidate Forum.

Dec. 6, 2019 (Waterloo, IA) - Accelerator for America and U.S. Conference of Mayors Presidential Forum.

Dec. 6, 2019 (Grinnell, IA) - Forum at Iowa Farmers Union Annual Convention.


       NOVEMBER

Nov. 21, 2019 (Atlanta, GA) - National Action Network (NAN) SE Regional Conference.

*Nov. 17, 2019 (Las Vegas, NV) - Nevada Democrats First in the West.

*Nov. 16, 2019 (Long Beach, CA) - California Democratic Party 2019 State Convention Presidential Forum.

Nov. 8, 2019 (Orangeburg, SC) - 2019 Presidential Forum on Environmental Justice.

Nov. 3, 2019 (Manchester, NH) - No Labels Problem Solver Convention.

Nov. 2, 2019 (Cedar Rapids, IA) - 1st Annual Finkenauer Fish Fry.

Nov. 2, 2019 (Cedar Rapids, IA) - Accessibility for All Presidential Candidate Forum.

Nov. 2, 2019 (Des Moines, IA) - NAACP Economic Freedom Presidential Town Hall.

*Nov. 1, 2019 (Des Moines, IA) - Iowa Democratic Party Liberty and Justice Celebration (formerly known as the JJ Dinner).

      OCTOBER

Oct. 26-27, 2019 (Columbia, SC) - Collegiate Bipartisan Presidential Forum at Benedict College (replaced 2019 Second Step Presidential Justice Forum).

Oct. 26, 2019 (Las Vegas, NV) - The People's Presidential Forum.

Oct. 24, 2019 (Des Moines, IA) - LULAC Presidential Town Hall.

Oct. 13, 2019 (Altoona, IA) - UFCW 2020 Presidential Forums (2 of 2).

Oct. 13, 2019 (Durham, NH) - The People's Forum (Rights and Democracy, New Hampshire Youth Movement, and People’s Action).CANCELLED

Oct. 10, 2019 (Los Angeles, CA) - Human Rights Campaign 2020 Presidential Candidates Forum.

*Oct. 5, 2019 (Charleston, SC) - Charleston County Democratic Party Blue Jamboree.

Oct. 4-5, 2019 (Los Angeles, CA) - SEIU Unions for All Summit.

Oct. 2, 2019 (Las Vegas, NV) - Giffords and March For Our Lives Presidential Forum on Gun Safety.

      SEPTEMBER

Sept. 29, 2019 (Madison Heights, MI) - UFCW 2020 Presidential Forums (1 of 2).

Sept. 22, 2019 (Des Moines, IA) - Des Moines Public Schools/Des Moines Register Youth Voice Forum.

Sept. 21, 2019 (Des Moines, IA) - The People's Forum (Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action Fund and People’s Action).

*Sept. 21, 2019 (Des Moines, IA) - Polk County Steak Fry.

Sept. 20, 2019 (Cedar Rapids, IA) - GLAAD LGBTQ Presidential Forum.

Sept. 19-20, 2019 (Washington, DC) - Climate Forum 2020.

Sept. 17, 2019 (Philadelphia, PA) - Philadelphia AFL-CIO Workers' Presidential Summit.

Sept. 16, 2019 (Galivants Ferry, SC) - 2019 Galivants Ferry Stump.

*Sept. 7, 2019 (Manchester, NH) - New Hampshire Democratic Party State Convention.

Sept. 4, 2019 (New York, NY) - CNN Climate Crisis Town Hall.

       AUGUST

Aug. 23, 2019 (San Francisco, CA) - DNC Summer Meeting.

Aug. 21, 2019 (Altoona, IA) - Iowa Federation of Labor 63 Annual Convention.

Aug. 18-19, 2019 (Sioux City, IA) - Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum.

Aug. 16-17, 2019 (Atlanta, GA) - Black Church Presidential Candidate Conversation Series.

Aug. 8-18, 2019 (Des Moines, IA) - Des Moines Register Soap Box at the Iowa State Fair.

Aug. 10, 2019 (Des Moines, IA) - Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund Presidential Gun Sense Forum.

*Aug. 9, 2019 (Clear Lake, IA) - Iowa Democratic Wing Ding Dinner.

Aug. 3, 2019 (Las Vegas, NV) - AFSCME 2020 Public Service Forum.

      JULY

July 25-26, 2019 (Indianapolis, IN) - National Urban League Conference.

July 24, 2019 (Detroit, MI) - NAACP Presidential Candidate Forum.

July 15-20, 2019 (IA) - AARP/The Des Moines Register Iowa Presidential Candidate Forums.

July 14, 2019 (Cedar Rapids, IA) - Fifth Annual Progress Iowa Corn Feed.

[July 12, 2019 (IA) - The FAMiLY LEADER 2019 Family Leadership Summit].

July 13, 2019 (Philadelphia, PA) - Daily Kos/Netroots Nation Presidential Candidate Forum.

July 11, 2019 (Milwaukee, WI) - LULAC Presidential Town Hall.

July 6-7, 2019 (New Orleans, LA) - EssenceFest.

July 5, 2019 (Houston, TX) - National Education Association #StrongPublicSchools Presidential Forum.

       JUNE

June 28-July 2, 2019 (Chicago, IL) - Rainbow PUSH Coalition Annual International Convention.

June 22, 2019 (Columbia, SC) - We Decide: Planned Parenthood Action Fund 2020 Election Membership Forum.

*June 22, 2019 (Columbia, SC) - South Carolina Democratic Party Convention.

June 21, 2019 (Columbia, SC) - Jim Clyburn's World Famous Fish Fry.

June 21, 2019 (Miami, FL) - NALEO Presidential Candidate Forum.

June 17, 2019 (Washington, DC) - Poor People's Campaign Moral Action Congress Forum with 2020 Presidential Candidates.

June 15, 2019 (Charleston, SC) - Black Economic Alliance Presidential Candidates Forum.

*June 9, 2019 (Cedar Rapids, IA) - Iowa Democratic Party Annual Hall of Fame Celebration.

June 8, 2019 (Des Moines, IA) - Capital City Pride Meet the Candidates Forum.

June 1, 2019 (San Francisco, CA) - MoveOn Big Ideas Forum.

*June 1 and 2, 2019 (San Francisco, CA) - California Democratic Party Convention.

       MAY

May 31, 2019 (Pasadena, CA) - Unity and Freedom Presidential Forum (FIRM Action, Community Change Action and CHIRLA Action Fund).

       APRIL

Apr. 27, 2019 (Las Vegas, NV) - National Forum on Wages and Working People (SEIU and CAP Action Fund).

Apr. 24, 2019 (Houston, TX) - She the People Presidential Forum 2019.

April 10, 2019 (Washington, DC) - NABTU 2019 Legislative Conference

Apr. 3-6, 2019 (New York, NY) - National Action Network (NAN) Convention.

Apr. 1, 2019 (Washington, DC) - We the People Membership Summit.

       MARCH

Mar. 30, 2019 (Storm Lake, IA) - Heartland Forum (Iowa Farmers Union, HuffPost, The Storm Lake Times and Open Markets Action Fund).



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