Sunday shows preview: 2020 race heats up as impeachment moves to Senate

The 2020 presidential race and the Senate’s upcoming impeachment trial are expected to dominate the Sunday talk shows as lawmakers hit the morning show circuit this week.

The White House race heated up this week as Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) railed against South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) during the Democratic debate Thursday night, as Buttigieg surges in the polls in Iowa and New Hampshire.

The primary field has been mired in a weekslong feud over transparency regarding the candidates’ campaign finances, with several of the presidential hopefuls announcing they would open their private fundraisers to the press and disclose their bundlers.

Klobuchar is set to go on CBS’ “Face the Nation” and CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday while fellow 2020 White House hopeful Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) is scheduled to appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Booker and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, two candidates of color who did not make the latest debate stage, have called on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to lower its thresholds for future debates to allow more candidates to qualify. 

The House’s vote almost exclusively along party lines this week to impeach President Trump – alleging abuse of power with his dealings with Ukraine and obstruction of Congress over his refusal to comply with the inquiry – are also set to dominate the airwaves this Sunday.

The House accused Trump of abuse of power over his push to get Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a chief political rival, while the second impeachment article focused on his administration’s refusal to comply with congressional subpoenas for testimony and documents.

Lawmakers left town for the holiday recess this week amid uncertainty over when the Senate impeachment trial will begin in January. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has suggested she may not deliver the articles to the Senate until Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) agree to the parameters of a trial.

Debate over the looming Senate proceedings is expected to continue on Sunday as Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) all appear on the morning shows.

Here’s the full Sunday show lineup:

ABC’s “This Week” – Johnson and Jones

NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Booker and Marc Short, Vice President Pence’s chief of staff

CBS’ “Face the Nation” — Klobuchar, Blunt, Van Hollen and Mark Galli, editor-in-chief of Christianity Today.

CNN’s “State of the Union” — Klobuchar, Blunt and Durbin

“Fox News Sunday” — Short and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.)

Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” – Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)