Five Democratic presidential candidates debated Tuesday evening in Las Vegas. The debate which is sponsored by CNN and Facebook took place at Wynn Las Vegas.
Debating candidates included former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb and former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee.
After the debate, the Nevada State Democratic Party released a statement saying that tonight's "undisputed winner was the people of Nevada" as "few states possess the demographic, regional, and cultural diversity of Nevada."
Vice President Joe Biden has not yet decided if he’ll run did not attend the debate, although an extra podium was set up offstage in case he decided to appear. Earlier KTVN reporter Erin Breen asked Nevada Senator Harry Reid if he thinks Biden will make a surprise appearance.
“No, he will not be here tonight.”
Biden or no Biden, Reid says the debate will be on the issues.
“It will be substantive. It won’t be about people attacking each other but about the issues.”
Reid also facetiously apologized for saying Iowa and particularly New Hampshire are not representative of how the rest of America will vote because no one lives there and there are no minorities.
"New Hampshire is terribly populated and loaded with lots of minorities," Reid said Tuesday.
Census data shows New Hampshire's 1.3 million people are 94% white.
Breen says more than 700 representatives from the press are gathered covering the debate and that the actual debate room holds about 1,300 people.
A new CNN/ORC poll says Clinton is ahead in Nevada and South Carolina.
The poll found that if the Democratic caucus were held today, half of the 253 people polled would support Clinton while 34% would support Sanders – and 12% would support a theoretical run by Vice President Biden, with the other candidates getting no measurable support.
KTVN reporter Erin Breen will report live during Tuesday night’s newscasts.
