Ten Democratic presidential hopefuls will take the debate stage in Atlanta on Wednesday night, as the candidates look for a breakout moment to either cement their place in the race’s top tier or elevate their campaigns from the lower rungs of the primary field.

The field’s four leading candidates — former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenFormer Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick Bloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida MORE, South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegBillionaire who donated to Trump in 2016 donates to Biden The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November Buttigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice MORE, Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenOvernight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds On The Money: Half of states deplete funds for Trump's 0 unemployment expansion | EU appealing ruling in Apple tax case | House Democrats include more aid for airlines in coronavirus package Warren, Khanna request IG investigation into Pentagon's use of coronavirus funds MORE (D-Mass.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersSirota reacts to report of harassment, doxing by Harris supporters Republicans not immune to the malady that hobbled Democrats The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Republicans lawmakers rebuke Trump on election MORE (I-Vt.) — are all jockeying to deliver a strong performance at the debate, hoping to give their campaigns a burst of momentum heading into 2020 and the Iowa caucuses.

They’ll share the stage with six other candidates — Sen. Kamala Harris Kamala HarrisTexas Democratic official urges Biden to visit state: 'I thought he had his own plane' The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden on Trump: 'He'll leave' l GOP laywers brush off Trump's election remarks l Obama's endorsements A game theorist's advice to President Trump on filling the Supreme Court seat MORE (D-Calif.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar Amy Klobuchar3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing Social media platforms put muscle into National Voter Registration Day Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE (D-Minn.), Sen. Cory Booker Cory Anthony BookerThe movement to reform animal agriculture has reached a tipping point Watchdog confirms State Dept. canceled award for journalist who criticized Trump 3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing MORE (D-N.J.), former tech executive Andrew Yang Andrew YangBiden's latest small business outreach is just ... awful Doctor who allegedly assaulted Evelyn Yang arrested on federal charges The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden weighs in on police shootings | Who's moderating the debates | Trump trails in post-convention polls MORE, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Tulsi GabbardRepublicans call on DOJ to investigate Netflix over 'Cuties' film Hispanic Caucus campaign arm endorses slate of non-Hispanic candidates Gabbard says she 'was not invited to participate in any way' in Democratic convention MORE (D-Hawaii) and billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer Tom SteyerTV ads favored Biden 2-1 in past month Inslee calls Biden climate plan 'perfect for the moment' OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Trump administration finalizes plan to open up Alaska wildlife refuge to drilling | California finalizes fuel efficiency deal with five automakers, undercutting Trump | Democrats use vulnerable GOP senators to get rare win on environment MORE — all of whom are hoping for breakout moments of their own.

ADVERTISEMENT

Here are five things to watch:

Can Warren quell concerns about her candidacy?

Warren’s months-long rise to the top of the polls has seen its share of setbacks in recent weeks: Her rivals have repeatedly raised questions about how she plans to finance her proposed “Medicare for All,” and Biden has attacked the Massachusetts senator as an “elitist” with a “my way or the highway” approach to politics.

Her lead has slipped in some polls in recent weeks. Meanwhile, other surveys suggest that Democratic primary voters are more eager to nominate a moderate candidate seen as having a better chance of beating President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE.

Warren has taken some steps in recent weeks to alleviate voters’ concerns about her reform-minded candidacy. Earlier this month, she released a plan that would avoid raising taxes on the middle class to finance her Medicare for All proposal and outlined a more gradual approach to health care that would preserve private insurance coverage for a transition period.

ADVERTISEMENT

Wednesday’s debate will give her a chance not only to address lingering reservations about her electability and policy agenda before a national audience, but to take on critics, like Biden and Buttigieg, who are also competing for the top spot in the race.

Will rivals go after Buttigieg?

Buttigieg has gained momentum in recent weeks as he’s pitched himself to moderate voters as a younger alternative to Biden while drawing sharp contrasts with his leading progressive rivals.

That message appears to be translating to support in Iowa, in particular. A Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom poll released over the weekend showed him taking a broad lead among likely Democratic caucusgoers in Iowa.

But that recent success is likely to make him a prime target for his opponents when he takes the debate stage on Wednesday night. There are already lingering tensions between Buttigieg and some of his fellow 2020 hopefuls, some of whom argue that the 37-year-old mayor is too inexperienced to be a viable general election candidate.

And despite his surge in Iowa, Buttigieg has struggled to gain the same kind of traction in more diverse early primary and caucus states.

In South Carolina, Buttigieg has struggled to break out of single digits in polls and fares even worse among black voters, who make up more than half of the state’s Democratic electorate. A Quinnipiac poll released on Monday showed his overall support there at 6 percent. He registered less than 1 percent support among black voters in the survey.

Buttigieg may face a litany of criticism on Wednesday night over everything from his struggle to build a diverse coalition of support to his relative inexperience in the national political arena.

The question that remains: Can Buttigieg take a punch?

Will moderates have their moment?

ADVERTISEMENT

It’s been a good few weeks for the primary field’s moderate candidates.

They’ve begun pushing more aggressively against the progressive policy proposals of rivals like Sanders and Warren. Recent polls show Democratic voters leaning toward a moderate nominee. And the party scored a slew of key electoral victories this month in states like Kentucky, Virginia and Louisiana by running candidates with more moderate platforms.

Candidates like Biden, Buttigieg and Klobuchar will have the opportunity on Wednesday night to showcase the moderate resurgence and make the case that they’re better positioned than their progressive opponents to beat Trump in 2020.

One recent development that could help bolster that argument: former President Obama, who remains one of the Democratic Party’s most influential figures, recently warned the candidates against moving too far to the left.

Do the progressives fight back?

ADVERTISEMENT

While the primary field’s moderate hopefuls have gotten a boost in recent weeks, Sanders and Warren aren’t ceding any ground. On the campaign trail, they’ve continued to make the case that Democrats need a progressive nominee to drive support among the party’s core voters and oust Trump.

At the Nevada Democratic Party’s “First in the West” dinner on Sunday, both Warren and Sanders asserted that the country was in need of transformative policies and a broad restructuring of U.S. politics, and swiped at those who advocate for more gradual change.

Sanders and Warren will have the chance to bring that argument to the debate stage once again on Wednesday, setting up a potential showdown between competing factions of the Democratic Party.

They’ll also have an opportunity to push back against concerns from some voters — and fellow 2020 candidates — who see their proposals as too radical to play in a general election.

Do the 2020 newcomers weigh on the debate?

ADVERTISEMENT

Looming over the debate is the entrance of two new moderate candidates, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick Deval PatrickRalph Gants, chief justice of Massachusetts supreme court, dies at 65 It's as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process Top Democratic super PACs team up to boost Biden MORE and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg Michael BloombergBloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida Democratic groups using Bloomberg money to launch M in Spanish language ads in Florida Bloomberg pays fines for 32,000 felons in Florida so they can vote MORE.

The two men previously flirted with presidential runs only to rule them out last winter. But sensing an opening in the current Democratic field, Patrick jumped into the contest last week and Bloomberg began taking steps to get on the ballot in several states with March primary dates.

To be sure, neither Patrick nor Bloomberg will be on stage Wednesday. But their presence in the Democratic field could end up weighing on the dynamics of the debate.

Candidates like Warren and Sanders have cast Bloomberg’s and Patrick’s renewed presidential ambitions as a sign that party elites and wealthy donors feel threatened by progressives. Meanwhile, others like Biden and Buttigieg are likely to find themselves in more direct competition with the two newcomers, who believe that they are better able to win over more moderate voters.

How — or whether — Bloomberg and Patrick enter the conversation on Wednesday will provide some insight into how they might impact the broader dynamics of the presidential race.