Live fact check of the fifth Democratic debate

Welcome to CNN's fact check coverage of the fifth Democratic presidential primary debate. We will be posting our fact checks of the candidates' claims as we complete them.

Posted 2:09 a.m. Nov 21, 2019 — Updated 2:09 a.m. Nov 21, 2019

CNN Staff

CNN — Welcome to CNN's fact check coverage of the fifth Democratic presidential primary debate. We will be posting our fact checks of the candidates' claims as we complete them.

Ten candidates are on the stage this time, down from 12 at the debate in October. Julián Castro, a former secretary of Housing and Urban Development, did not meet the party's qualification standards for this debate, and former Congressman Beto O'Rourke of Texas dropped out of the race.

This debate arrives at a time of volatility in early-state polling. South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg may face increased scrutiny after a Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom poll showed him leading in Iowa, the first voting state. Former Vice President Joe Biden's campaign has suggested that he plans to use the debate to attack Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts over her position on health care. And Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont remains firmly in the top tier of national and state polls.

The other candidates participating in the debate are Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, billionaire investor Tom Steyer and businessman Andrew Yang.

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