A staffer for Democratic presidential hopeful Cory Booker said Wednesday that she donated money to rival Kirsten Gillibrand’s campaign to help her qualify for the primary debates.
Jenna Lowenstein, Booker’s deputy communications director, said she made the donation to Sen. Gillibrand to help her reach the 65,000 individual donors she needs to qualify for the Democratic primary debates.
“I just donated to ensure @SenGillibrand’s important perspective is on the debate stage. Join me!” Lowenstein tweeted.
Gillibrand, a senator from New York, is one of more than 20 Democratic contenders vying for the party’s presidential nomination.
The DNC has capped the debates to 20 participants and will field them with candidates who are polling above 1 percent and who have secured donations from more than 65,000 people.
Gillibrand currently meets the polling threshold, but needs more donations to ensure a spot on the debate stage.
“It is not a given that abortion will come up at the 2020 primary debates. It is not a given that every candidate will defend reproductive rights as fiercely as @SenGillibrand. We need her on that stage. If you agree, make sure her spot is guaranteed,” her deputy communications director tweeted Wednesday with a link to her donation page.