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VIEW IN BROWSER | SUBSCRIBE WED, FEB 19, 2020 CNBC POLITICS EDITOR'S NOTE Hello,    Tonight might be the most pivotal night so far in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. That's because Mike Bloomberg will join the debate stage for the first time and try his best to rattle his rivals.   So far, Bloomberg hasn't appeared on any ballots. He's not even in the running in the Nevada caucuses this Saturday. Voters won't have a chance to weigh in on him until Super Tuesday, March 3, when 14 states hold their primaries.   But when the billionaire former New York mayor steps onto the stage tonight in Las Vegas, he will take the spotlight as his poll numbers surge and his policy record and past remarks about minorities and women come under greater scrutiny. His performance tonight will go a long way in determining whether he will have what it takes to win the nomination and take on President Trump in November.   Here's what you need to know:   The debate, which will air on MSNBC, begins at 9 p.m. ET and will run for about two hours. Six candidates will participate: Bloomberg, Sen. Bernie Sanders, former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Buttigieg and Klobuchar are looking to harness momentum from their strong showings in the New Hampshire primary, as they compete for the so-called moderate lane with Biden and Bloomberg. Biden is in desperate need of a comeback. He tanked in Iowa and New Hampshire, and his poll numbers have plummeted as Bloomberg's have risen. He has pinned many of his hopes on doing reasonably well in Nevada this Saturday and winning big in South Carolina's primary, set for Feb. 29. Warren needs to make a move, too. Her campaign has flagged since the fall. Still, she is consistently polling in the double digits nationally and in some bigger states like California and Texas. This is Sanders' first debate as the full-fledged front-runner. If his rivals are aiming to gang up on the ascendant Bloomberg, it might just give the Vermont democratic socialist another boost.   Check out CNBC politics reporter Tucker Higgins' debate preview for more insight about what's at stake tonight.   Thanks for reading.   Thoughts? Email me at CNBCPolitics@nbcuni.com.     Have friends or colleagues who might like this newsletter? They can sign up here.  Mike Calia @Michael_Calia KEY STORIES  Democratic debate: Bloomberg takes the stage as Sanders leads, and Biden aims for a comeback Joe Biden, Michael Bloomberg, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren will face off on the issues during Wednesday night's Democratic debate. Big Tech's favorite law is under fire The Justice Department is hosting a workshop to examine the scope of the Big Tech protection law known as Section 230. Sanders leads by double digits in latest NBC/WSJ poll as Biden sinks, Bloomberg rises Bernie Sanders has opened up a double-digit lead nationally over his closest rivals in the Democratic presidential primary, where Michael Bloomberg's rise has scrambled the race. China revokes Wall Street Journal reporters' press credentials The harsh reaction from Beijing came as China struggles not only to contain the fast-spreading coronavirus, but also to control the messaging surrounding the outbreak. Warren says Bloomberg's debate presence will allow Dems to show how they'd take on an 'egomaniac billionaire' Bloomberg will face five Democrats eager to take him down on Wednesday after qualifying for his first debate since entering the 2020 race. Mike Bloomberg releases plan to rein in Wall Street His proposals include toughening the Volcker rule, merging Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and strengthening consumer protections. Trump pardons Michael Milken, face of 1980s insider trading scandals President Trump also granted executive clemency Tuesday to former NYPD commissioner Bernard Kerik, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and ex-San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. Microsoft's voting software is getting its first test in a small Wisconsin town ElectionGuard, developed by Microsoft Research, probably won't be widely used for the 2020 U.S. presidential election, but it could be adopted for the 2022 midterms, the company said.       Unsubscribe Manage Newsletters Terms of Service Join the CNBC Panel Digital Products Feedback Privacy Policy   © 2020 CNBC LLC. All rights reserved. A property of NBCUniversal. 900 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes and Market Data and Analysis. Data also provided by THOMSON REUTERS