Democratic Primary Candidates to Debate on LGBTQ Issues

The United States presidential candidates from the Democrat party will appear for a presidential debate at an LGBTQ forum to debate solely on LGBTQ issues.

RELATED:

Bernie Sanders Campaign's Staff Are Unionizing

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) will host the debate at University of California, Los Angeles in October just before National Coming Out Day.

The HRC also hosted a Democratic primary forum in 2004 but not in 2016.

To be able to qualify for the forum, the candidates must have at least one percent support in three different national polls and getting more than 65,000 donors from 20 different states.

2016 exit polls showed that 78% of LGBT people voted for Hillary Clinton in the presidential election, up from the 70% that voted for Barack Obama in 2008 making them a loyal Democratic constituency.

"Millions of LGBTQ people will have their rights on the ballot in 2020," Chad Griffin, the HRC president said in a statement. "But today we are also a powerful voting bloc that will help determine the outcome. We’re excited to partner with UCLA Luskin and create an opportunity to hear candidates’ agendas for moving equality forward.”

The Democrats have a wide range of people running for elections including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Tulsi Gabbard, Kamala Harris etc. Pete Buttigieg is the first openly gay Democratic candidate ever to run for President of the country.