To demonstrate staying power, Democratic candidates need to win debates and donations

Election season is ramping up, and Democratic candidates head to the debate stage Wednesday and Thursday evenings. It’s a critical moment for many of the lesser-known candidates who managed to meet the criteria set for participating.

In a crowded field dominated by Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders, lesser-known candidates need to make a good showing to stay alive. Specifically, they need to capitalize on the national stage the debates provide to pull in as many donations as possible before the end of this quarter. Analysts say the financial disclosures based on this second-quarter fundraising should tell us a lot about which candidates will move on.