Perez: What's the future for Democrats?_00002628.jpg
Perez: What's the future for Democrats?
05:54 - Source: CNN

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The debate will be moderated by CNN's Dana Bash and Chris Cuomo

Candidates will discuss the future of the Democratic Party

Washington CNN  — 

Just days before the Democratic National Committee elects its new leader, candidates for the job will hash out their visions for the party at CNN’s “Debate Night: Democratic Leadership Debate” on Wednesday.

The debate, moderated by CNN Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash and “New Day” anchor Chris Cuomo, will air at 10 p.m. ET from the CNN Center in Atlanta. The candidates will lay out strategies for the 2018 midterm elections, rebuilding the Democratic Party and the DNC’s role under the Trump administration.

CNN has not yet announced which candidates will be attending.

To receive an invitation to the debate, a person must be recognized by the DNC as a candidate for chair as outlined by its 2016 memo and must have appeared in at least three of the four DNC’s Future Forums held in Phoenix, Arizona; Houston, Texas; Detroit, Michigan; and Baltimore, Maryland.

The event will air live on CNN, CNN en Español, CNN International, CNNgo, Westwood One Radio Network and on CNN Channel 116 on Sirius XM.

Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minnesota, and former Labor Secretary Tom Perez are considered the leading candidates. Ellison has the support of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, while Perez has backing from several establishment Democrats close to Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama.

Also in the running is Pete Buttigieg, who is in his second term as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, as well as South Carolina Democratic chairman Jaime Harrison. New Hampshire state chairman Ray Buckley dropped out of the race over the weekend and endorsed Ellison.

The DNC leadership election will be held on Saturday, February 25.

This story has been updated to reflect the most recent information.