Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump met for the first time on Tuesday night in Philadelphia for the first presidential debate after President Joe Biden dramatically left the race in July. During the encounter, both candidates tried to make their case to a stubborn group across the country— undecided voters.
From immigration, to abortion, crime and foreign policy, voters in all states were able to get a snapshot of how the two candidates plan to lead the country if they win the White House in November. They also received a plethora of memes and soundbites, like Harris resting her chin in her hands in disbelief while Trump rambled on bogus claims about migrants eating pets in Ohio.
Tuesday night was also most likely the only time voters would be able to see the two candidates side by side. Although the Harris campaign challenged the GOP nominee to another matchup, he recently took to his platform Truth Social to decline the invitation.
"In the World of Boxing or UFC, when a Fighter gets beaten or knocked out, they get up and scream, 'I demand a rematch, I demand a rematch!,' Trump wrote. "Well, it's no different with a debate. she was beaten badly last night. Every poll has us winning, in one case, 92-8, so why would I do a Rematch?"
Prior to the event, experts described this debate as one of the most consequential moments during this election season as the race remains increasingly tight. But while it is still unclear how each of the candidates' performance will affect national polls, and eventually the outcome of the elections, remains to be seen, some undecided voters are already starting to weigh in on their perceptions of the conversation.
Debate watchers said, 63% to 37%, that Harris turned in a better performance on stage in Philadelphia. Prior to the conversation, the same voters were evenly split on which candidate would perform more strongly, with 50% saying Harris would do so and 50% that Trump would, according to CNN.
Undecided voters in battleground states, perhaps one of the most important groups to lock in ahead of November, are also voicing their reactions on Tuesday night's debate.
In Pennsylvania, for instance, Bob and Sharon Reed, both 77-year-old retired teachers who live on a farm, said they needed more convincing from the two candidates. They thought that they would come away with a candidate to support in November, but "it was all disappointing," Sharon told The New York Times.
The couple ended the night wondering how the costly programs each candidate supported— Trump's tariffs and Harris' aid to young families and small businesses— would help a couple like them, living on a fixed income that has not kept pace with inflation. They also said they didn't hear detailed answers on immigration or foreign policy either.
However, other voters have reportedly left the debate more decided.
In Southern Arizona, Jason Henderson, a defense contractor and retired soldier, had been resigned to skipping the election. But after the debate, he came away leaning toward the Republican candidate.
"Trump had the more commanding presentation," he said. "There was nothing done by Harris that made me think she's better. In any way."
Likewise, The Washington Post also conducted interviews with undecided voters in battleground states immediately after the debate.
Before the event, 12 respondents said they would "probably" vote for Harris, 10 of them "probably" Trump, and three "neither." Post-debate, Harris seemingly solidified some of her base, with five respondents asserting they would "definitely" vote for Harris and another 10 leaning on doing the same. While only six people said they would "probably" vote for Trump, three remaining undecided, and one person not providing their preference.
"I don't think Trump was at his best— too rambly. He would have been better had he stayed calm and made more of an intentional effort to answer the questions," Aaron, an undecided voter in his 30s, told the Washington Post. "Harris made a strong showing. It's not clear that her words actually stand up to scrutiny, but she sounded confident and seemed to make sharp and effective attacks against Trump."
Another voter from Pennsylvania in the Post's survey thought Trump performed better.
"I don't think Harris gave any real answers to any question," Konnie, a voter in her 50s, said.
Harris and Trump are currently virtually tied in the polls in Pennsylvania, with the Vice President holding a slight edge of 0.4%, according to an average of 40 polls from The Hill.
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