With Primary season in full force, voters have started to cast their ballots for one of the 2020 Presidential hopefuls. In spite of a number of popular front-runners, a number of lesser-known candidates still remain on the debate stage. And while it has not been uncommon in the past to have primary debates include some of the lesser-known or less popular candidates, this cycle has seen some major changes in how debates are handled, with some of the less popular candidates garnering more attention.
The recent debates have seen a clear trend of lesser-known or unpopular candidates receiving more focus and more time to speak. Unlike more traditional debates, in which the front-runners would receive an extended amount of time to answer questions and speeches, this cycle has seen lesser-known candidates get more air-time to adequately showcase their stances on a variety of topics.
Further driving the focus on these lesser-known candidates is the fact that they have done surprisingly well in both the polls and the debates. Polls have seen candidates such as Andrew Yang and Marianne Williamson, two of the least popular candidates in the overall field, rise up to gain notoriety. This has been bolstered by their strong debate performances which have seen them surprise the pundits and gain substantial media coverage.
The upshot of these debates, then, is that they have opened up the discourse around the election to a wider range of perspectives which was previously unheard of. Now, with more time given to the less popular candidates, we now hear more interesting and diverse arguments on issues such as healthcare, foreign policy, and the economy. This has led to more meaningful debates between all candidates which has resulted in a more informed electorate.
Overall, primary debates centering around the less popular candidates have been a welcome change from the previous cycle. Voters have been given more debates focused on a diverse range of opinions, which has helped the electorate to be more informed and empowered come election time. This can only be seen as a positive step forward, as it helps to make sure that all candidates have a voice and can present their ideas to the American people.