On the eve of the final Democratic presidential debate of 2019, not a single cable news network was focused on the face-off. Instead, they were all airing the exact same shot: the floor of the House of Representatives, as the Democratic-controlled chamber voted to impeach President Donald Trump .

Six weeks from the Iowa caucuses, Democrats running for president no longer have to answer speculative questions about impeachment. The House has voted, and in roughly a month, the five senators running for president will be pulled off the campaign trail for the Senate trial.

Though the march toward impeachment has sucked up wall-to-wall coverage for months, the presidential candidates dont voluntarily bring it up.

We cannot simply be consumed by Donald Trump, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said during the November debate when asked about impeachment. Because if we are, you know what? We are going to lose the election.

Other leading candidates have said roughly the same thing.

We are absolutely going to confront this president for his wrongdoing, but we are also each running to be the president to lead this country when the Trump presidency comes to an end one way or another, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg said in November.