A 2020 candidate criticizes DNC for an "arbitrary" rule change that could keep him out of the debate

The chances of a presidential candidate of 2020 securing a place in the Democratic National Committee debate have been shattered by what his campaign calls for an "arbitrary" rule change.

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock's campaign director, Jenn Ridder, tore up the DNC Thursday, six days before the candidates met the survey and fundraising criteria to participate in the first round of debate.

"While Governor Bullock was expanding Medicaid to one in ten Montanais despite a nearly 60% Republican legislature, the DNC was setting arbitrary rules behind closed doors, penalizing him for doing his job," Ridder said in a statement.

The survey, conducted for Washington Post and ABC News, was excluded because it polled respondents in an open format. Bullock's campaign revealed that they had only been informed of the developments of the situation this week, an assertion disputed by the DNC in a Politico report.

"It is actually more difficult to register for an open-ended poll because voters have to name their favorite candidate without reading a list of names," writes the campaign in a memo sent to reporters.

A spokesman for the DNC did not immediately respond to the Washington Examinerrequest for comments.

Bullock, who had waited until the end of Montana's legislative session in May to announce his candidacy for the White House, was previously considered one of the seven candidates to have achieved the election goal. the DNC set in February at least 1% of the vote. three polls. He had not yet met the second criterion of attracting 65,000 donors, with 200 contributors from 20 different states, needed to participate in Miami.

The hopes that, to date, seem certain to take part in the debate from June 22 to 23 include: former Vice President Joe Biden; Senator of New Jersey, Cory Booker; South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; The secretary of housing of the Obama administration, Julián Castro; Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard; Senator of California, Kamala Harris; Washington Governor Jay Inslee; Senator of Minnesota, Amy Klobuchar; former Texas representative Beto O'Rourke; Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders; self-author author Marianne Williamson; and entrepreneur Andrew Yang.