Your guide to the first 2016 Democratic debate

Dems are favourites to win the general election, yet lack the inflammatory spark and name recognition of the Republican party

Bernie Sanders speaks to supporters. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

The unfamous five will take the stage Tuesday night at 8:30pm EST. (All polling numbers courtesy of the latest CNN/ORC poll.)

Jim Webb 2 percent

Jim Webb listens to speakers at the Urbandale Democrats Flag Day Celebration in Iowa. Getty (Scott Olson/Getty)

A former US Senator from Virginia, Vietnam War veteran and one-time Navy Secretary for President Reagan, Webb has barely campaigned, advertised or raised much money. (Those things go together). Yet he may draw attention in Las Vegas because of views that do not hew to one or other wing of the party. He opposes the Iran nuclear deal and isn’t clear about banning the Confederate flag. Yet, he worked sooner and harder than most of his party on justice reform and abuse of minorities by police.

Lincoln Chaffee less than 1 percent

 

At the NH Democratic State Convention. Thank you! Prosperity through Peace! #chafee2016!

A photo posted by Lincoln Chafee (@lincchafee) on Sep 19, 2015 at 12:07pm PDT

Chafee, who shod horses as a young man, was once Navy Secretary like Webb. What is it about that job and quixotic runs at the Democratic nomination? Also like Webb, he has never liked being put in a box. Chafee was a Republican US Senator for Rhode Island who defied his party and voted against the Iraq War and in 2011 was elected as the state’s governor as an Independent. Now he’s running as a Democratic. His pet project? He wants the US to say goodbye to Farenheit and go metric.

Martin O’Malley 3 percent

Martin O'Malley speaks at the Iowa Democratic Wing Ding. Win McNamee/Getty (Win McNamee/Getty)

The Governor of Maryland until the start of this year and before that Baltimore Mayor, O’Malley seemed well placed to challenge Ms Clinton. He has a strong record of progressive accomplishments in his state from instituting some of the country’s toughest gun laws and pushing hard for a same-sex marriage law that survived a referendum to overturn it. So far, however, while his speeches are well received, his polling numbers have remained pathetic. The debate may be his chance to change that.

Bernie Sanders 27 percent

Getty (Getty)

The self-described Democratic Socialist Senator from Vermont has been an oddity on the American political scene since he first became US Congressman in 1990. He is technically an Independent on Capitol Hill but almost always votes with Democrats. Since jumping into the Democrat nomination race, he has stunned probably even himself with the huge crowds he has drawn, his success at raising money from grassroots supporters and the serious danger he has come to pose for Ms Clinton.

Hillary Clinton 46 percemt

Reuters (Reuters)

If Americans are a fuzzy on the other Democrat runners they may feel they already know quite enough about Ms Clinton who has gone from first lady to US Senator to US Secretary of State, navigating serial media maelstroms along the way. It’s exhausting to enumerate them. (Whitewater, Monica, Benghazi, the email server.) She cried in New Hampshire in 2008 yet failed to stave off Barack Obama. Now she’s after the nomination again. The Democratic frontunner has had a lousy campaign so far; yet the contest remains hers to lose.