WASHINGTON — (CNN) Martin O’Malley is dangerously close to missing the next Democratic presidential debate.
On Friday, NBC News released the criteria for its January 17 debate — the Democrats’ last before the primary voting season kicks off in February — and the former Maryland governor is hanging on a razor’s edge.
To qualify, candidates must reach 5% either nationally or in Iowa, New Hampshire, or South Carolina in the five most recent polls recognized by NBC News and published before January 14, 2016, the network announced.
Based on NBC’s list of approved polls, O’Malley is at exactly 5% in Iowa, and below 5% nationally and in the other early states. If his numbers drop in Iowa, and if he fails to lift them elsewhere, he will not qualify for the January 17 debate.
The Democratic hopeful has a slight buffer, however: An NBC executive familiar with the criteria said the network expects all three candidates to qualify and will likely round up from a 4.5% if necessary.
But that should hardly comfort O’Malley, who has averaged just 4.3% in the three most recent Iowa polls under NBC News’ consideration — and is only buoyed by two earlier polls where he registered 6%.
The NBC News debate will take place in Charleston, South Carolina on January 17, in partnership with YouTube, and will be hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Institute. NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt will moderate.
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