Hill.TV host Saagar Enjeti praised Andrew Yang on Wednesday after the Democratic candidate qualified for the fifth primary debate in December.
Enjeti said even though he doesn’t share many Yang’s views, he characterized it as an “extraordinary achievement” that “represents a sea change in American politics.”
“What I really respect in his rise is breaking the mold forever as to what it means to run for president and who is quote unquote electable,” Enjeti said. “His candidacy and rise is in many ways a return to the fundamentals of democracy, where anyone is able to rise to the top of the political playing field if their ideas resonate with enough people.”
Though starting out relatively unknown, Yang has since garnered attention for his various policy proposals, including a “freedom dividend” that would give every American adult a $1,000 a month. He has also registered in the polls in several key early voting states like Iowa, though it’s only in the single digits.
Yang on Tuesday became the seventh candidate to qualify for the December debate. He will take the stage along with former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg and billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer.
In order to qualify for the fifth debate, candidates had to amass at least 200,000 unique donors and register support of at least 4 percent in four qualifying polls or 6 percent in two early state surveys.
Candidates still have until the end of Thursday to qualify.
The upcoming debate is set to take place in Los Angeles on Dec. 19.
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