Democrats debate as Buttigieg rises, impeachment engrosses voters

Washington, Joe Biden and other leading 2020 White House contenders will square off at Wednesday's Democratic presidential debate seeking to blunt the surge of a rising-star candidate: Pete Buttigieg.

Former vice president Biden, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Bernie Sanders -- all in their seventies -- lead in national polling for the Democratic nomination.

But Buttigieg, a millennial military veteran and mayor from Indiana, has cracked into the top tier with a steady rise in the past month, particularly in early-voting states like Iowa where he has seized the momentum.

The 37-year-old politically skilled technocrat is buoyed by an unruffled campaign demeanor and pragmatic reform proposals that have gained traction in Iowa and New Hampshire, the two states that vote first in the nomination race.

But even as the 10 qualifying candidates prepare to rumble in the fifth nationally televised Democratic debate, the showdown in Atlanta threatens to be overshadowed by a critical week of impeachment hearings into President Donald Trump's dealings with Ukraine.

The first of nine current or former officials began testifying publicly this week before House investigators who grilled them on what they know about Trump's alleged coercion efforts.

Democrats accuse Trump of conditioning military aid and a White House meeting on Kiev conducting investigations of Biden and his son Hunter, who worked with a Ukrainian energy company while his father was vice president.

Testifying publicly Wednesday just hours before the debate will be Gordon Sondland, Trump's ambassador to the European Union, whose knowledge about the president's pressure campaign puts him at the center of the inquiry.

'Breakout star'

With national attention directed at Capitol Hill, the debate run-up has been low-key.

The race itself currently features 18 candidates including late entrant Deval Patrick, a former Massachusetts governor.

Ten have qualified for Wednesday's debate: Biden, Warren, Sanders and Buttigieg; senators Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Amy Klobuchar; entrepreneur Andrew Yang and investor-turned-activist Tom Steyer; and congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.

That figure is down two from October's debate. Former congressman Beto O'Rourke dropped out, and Obama-era cabinet member Julian Castro failed to qualify this time.

Beyond Patrick, the field may soon expand again to include billionaire businessman Michael Bloomberg.

The moderate former New York mayor has yet to announce he is in, but he recently filed ballot paperwork in two states, and announced a $100 million online anti-Trump advertising campaign.

While Biden has shown resilience, Bloomberg's entry could signal his lack of confidence in Biden's candidacy -- which could benefit Buttigieg, who occupies the same centrist lane.

Buttigieg is "the breakout star of this primary process" to date, Jim Messina, the former campaign manager for president Barack Obama's successful re-election campaign, told CNN on Monday.

Nationally Buttigieg is in fourth position, according to a RealClearPolitics polling average.

But a new Des Moines Register poll of Iowa voters shows Buttigieg storming to the lead with 25 percent support, followed by Warren at 16 percent and Biden and Sanders both at 15 percent.

And a fresh, albeit small, survey of New Hampshire voters released Tuesday by St. Anselm College shows Buttigieg shooting to top spot for the first time, with 25 percent, about 10 points ahead of the three top candidates.

That puts Buttigieg, the first openly gay major presidential hopeful, on course to face targeted attacks from rivals.

He has criticized Warren and Sanders for supporting a "Medicare for All" plan for universal health care that would do away with private health insurance.

Buttigieg insists his "Medicare for all who want it" proposal would kick no American off their private health plans while allowing anyone to sign up for affordable government-run coverage.

With 75 days before the Iowa caucuses, the race is fluid. Significant numbers of voters say they remain undecided, or could change their favorite candidate.

Speaking at a California Democratic convention last weekend, Buttigieg said he saw a "huge opportunity" to connect with voters who don't know him yet as he positions himself as a non-Biden alternative to liberal candidates Warren and Sanders.