Amy Klobuchar Sits Down With Esme Murphy After Qualifying For The Next Round Of Debates

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- While 20 presidential candidates took the stage to debate this week, there will be far fewer on the stage next month.

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar is the eighth and latest candidate who has met the requirements to take part in the third round of debates scheduled for September. Three others are close to qualifying.

To make the debate stage, candidates must hit at least 2% in four national polls and raise money from 130,000 unique donors.

Candidates who haven't met the threshold have until the end of the month to do so.

Klobuchar sat down with Esme Murphy Friday to talk about the achievement.

"It is a wonderful thing because it's been so much grassroots support, especially from Minnesota," Klobuchar said. "And you look at the fact that I'm ahead of 18 people, including all the Governors and the Mayor of New York City, I kind of like that fact, and there were a lot of people that ultimately got elected president, like Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton that were polling in the single digits at this time."

Klobuchar hopes the next round of debates will allow voters to get know the remaining candidates.

"Right now, it's turned into kind of a gong show of people going back and forth at each other, that was not my approach in the debates," Klobuchar said. "I've got to make the case that I'm different, I don't want to be like this guy that's in the White House. I want to be honest with people and tell them the truth."

Klobuchar's campaign said she surpassed the donor threshold less than 48 hours after the second debate earlier this week.