Politics | Election 2016 Johnson, Stein Don't Make Debate Cutoff Only Clinton, Trump have been invited to participate in first debate By Evann Gastaldo Posted Sep 16, 2016 2:42 PM CDT Copied Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson reacts as his microphone stops working during a campaign rally, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Scott Morgan) Neither Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson nor Green Party candidate Jill Stein is eligible for the first presidential debate, Politico reports. In order to be invited to the debate, a candidate must be polling at 15%. The Commission on Presidential Debates announced Friday that Johnson is polling at an average of 8.4% and Stein at 3.2%, so only Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have been invited to participate in the Sept. 26 debate. In addition, Johnson's and Stein's running mates are not eligible for the vice presidential debate Oct. 4. Johnson and Stein will have two more chances to get their poll numbers up in time for the second and third presidential debates. Read These Next Andrew is still a prince, but he's no longer a duke. ChatGPT is going to get sexy. Lots of people are worried. Author of bestselling memoir about depression dies at 35. Scientist's theory explains why we haven't met aliens. Report an error