The National Republican Congressional Committee says the Democratic candidates on that party's emerging-races list are underfinanced "bottom tier candidates."

During this election cycle, Democrats struggled with fundraising issues and had difficulty recruiting a top tier candidate.

Critics of the debate have commented on the uneven amount of time given to "second tier" candidates.

After the debate, Mr Perry came into the press "spin room" himself - almost unprecedented for a top tier candidate - to admit that he had made a huge mistake.

Then an item appeared in The Washington Post in November 1996, claiming that the White House considered her only a "second tier" candidate.

The South Carolina Democratic Party held their primary for governor on June 13, featuring three high tier candidates.

On October 11, 2011, Bop Design analyzed the website design of the top tier presidential candidates.

Democrats had difficulty recruiting top tier candidates against the popular Specter.

Although Hall was targeted by National Republican Congressional Committee, they struggled to find a top tier candidate, and Mills' backers believed that he was up to the task.

Time argued that the prospect of soundly defeating second tier candidates such as former Governor of Minnesota Harold Stassen in the primaries, would not "electrify the voters."