Gov. Jay Inslee entered the 2020 presidential race behind nearly a dozen other Democratic candidates, many with national name recognition. The Washington governor has a short window to meet the qualifications for the first presidential debate if he wants to be a serious contender in the race for the White House.
The Democratic National Committee announced in February new qualifying rules for the first debate, set for June. To get on the debate stage, Inslee would need to reach certain thresholds in grassroots funding or at the polls.
Days before announcing his campaign, a Morning Consult poll placed Inslee at the bottom of almost a dozen candidates or potential candidates running within the Democratic party. He polled at 0 percent among primary voters.
Candidates hoping to take the stage must win 1 percent support by voters in a series of polls or raise donations from 65,000 unique donors from across 20 states.
"[Inslee will] probably get there," said Austin Jenkins, Olympia correspondent for Northwest News Network. "If he can get to the debates this summer and into the fall then you start to get known nationally and you get to be up against your fellow Democrats and try to distinguish yourself."
Inslee stands out in the crowded field of candidates by running on a single issue: defeating climate change. In the campaign video launched at the start of his race, Inslee said, "I'm running for president because I'm the only candidate that will make defeating climate change our nation's number one priority."
Inslee has said the country's reliance on fossil fuels is holding it back. As a candidate, he said he will not take "one dime" from fossil fuel companies. If he is elected president, not "one nickel" would subsidize oil and gas.
"It can be risky to run on a single issue; it can also be a very smart strategy especially when you're not well known and you're in such a crowded field," Jenkins noted.
No date for the first debate in June has been announced yet but DNC officials told outlets that the debate would be held over two consecutive nights.
The two-term governor became the first person from Washington to run for president in over 40 years.