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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
* 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).
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.
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.
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 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 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 31, 2019 (Pasadena, CA)
- Unity
and Freedom Presidential Forum (FIRM Action, Community Change
Action and CHIRLA Action Fund).
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.
Mar. 30, 2019 (Storm Lake, IA) - Heartland
Forum (Iowa Farmers Union, HuffPost, The Storm Lake Times and
Open Markets Action Fund).