The first Harris-Trump debate took place last night
Images: ABC News
Former President Trump and Vice President Harris squared off on the debate stage in Philadelphia last night, marking the first – and potentially only – time voters were able to compare the two candidates side-by-side.
The 90-minute event featured a heavy dose of policy contrasts, with both candidates laying out their competing visions for the economy, abortion, and immigration.
- Harris sharply criticized Trump for the state of the economy and democracy when he left office, and linked him to GOP efforts to restrict abortion access.
- Trump in turn largely criticized Harris over her role within the Biden administration and its failure to solve major issues like inflation and unauthorized immigration.
- Read a more in-depth recap here.
The debate came as Harris is widening her fundraising lead. Late last week, Harris’ campaign said it raised a combined $361 million in August across the Democratic National Committee and joint fundraising committees – nearly triple the $130 million combined haul reported by Trump’s campaign over the same period. The Harris campaign said it ended August with $404 million cash on hand, while Trump’s campaign reported $295 million.
Polling update: Most polling aggregators, which draw from surveys taken over the past several weeks, show Harris with a slight lead over former President Trump at the national level (ranging from +1.1% to +3.4%).
However, according to several newly published polls, Trump appears to have narrowed the gap or even taken a lead in recent days.
- NY Times/Siena College found Trump ahead of Harris by a 48%-47% margin among a national sample of voters, in a poll published Sunday.
- A new CBS News poll of three key battleground states – Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin – found the margin between Harris and Trump was 1% or tighter across all three.
- A Harvard CAPS-Harris survey published Monday showed Trump and Harris tied at 46% apiece among registered US voters.
Looking ahead… This month marks the official start of the 2024 election, with a handful of states scheduled to send out mail-in ballots and five states opening up in-person early voting. See your state’s early voting schedule here.
📊 Flash polls: In your opinion, how did last night’s debate affect the presidential campaigns of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris? (Pick one for each)
đź”´ Trump:
🔵 Harris:
See a 360° view of what media pundits are saying →
Sprinkles from the Left
- Some commentators argue that while both sides will claim victory in Tuesday’s debate, Harris is the one who showed America its best chance at normalcy, statesmanship, and intelligence.
- Others contend that Harris is clearly showing that she’s a better candidate than Trump since she’s committed to improving issues that affect Americans’ everyday lives, while Trump has a tactic of making big commitments and then hoping he isn’t held accountable for them.
- “Kamala Harris plays to the middle and whips support, hope among faithful in debate” –Robin Epley, Sacramento Bee
- “A Clear Choice on the Issue Voters Care About Most” –NY Times Editorial Board
- “We Should Score the Harris-Trump Debate Like the Olympics” –Doug Pennington, US News & World Report
Sprinkles from the Right
- Some commentators argue that Trump showed in the debate that his position on abortion – leaving the issue up for states to decide – is much closer to the national average than that of Harris, who would federally codify legal abortion up until the point of birth.
- Others contend that the debate represented a key opportunity for Trump and Harris to appeal to the many American voters in the middle who aren’t thrilled with the binary choice they're presented with this election.
- “Trump flips the script, asks Harris about her support for third trimester abortion” –Tiana Lowe Doescher, Washington Examiner
- “Kamala Harris and Donald Trump Both Need a Good Debate” –Potomac Watch, WSJ
- “The Debate and the Question Nobody Is Asking” –Ramesh Ponnuru, National Review
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