When Democrats running for president debated Tuesday in Westerville, the only one from Ohio was not on the stage. Congressman Tim Ryan’s latest fundraising report, which was released on the same night, explains why.
The latest campaign finance reports came out the same day as the debate and Tim Ryan (D-Niles) was at the bottom, raising just $425,731 between July and September.
That’s less than half of what he raised during the previous reporting period when he brought in $895,000. And it’s far less than what other candidates raised during the same months.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders raised more than $74 million and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren raised more than $60 million.
Money was part of the criteria used for Tuesday’s debate. Polling was another. RealPolitics.com keeps track of polls and compiles averages for candidates and issue. Ryan's average is 0.6% right now.
The standards for getting into future debates will get tougher before the next one. It will take place November 20 in Atlanta. Only eight of the 12 who debated Tuesday have qualified for that debate so far.
If Ryan decides to end his presidential bid and stay in Congress, the deadline for declaring himself a candidate in next year's U.S. House primary is December 11.