Impact of presidential debate on 2024 US election

According to the AP news agency on September 13, the debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump on September 10 (US time) brought about a dramatic confrontation, marking one of the most important moments in the 2024 US presidential campaign. This event not only highlighted the deep differences between the two candidates on issues such as abortion, immigration, and democracy, but also reflected the current political polarization in the United States.

Throughout the debate, Harris delivered a powerful counter-argument to Trump, not shying away from provoking him with reminders of his 2020 election defeat — a result that former President Trump has refused to accept. She repeatedly mocked Trump’s false claims and highlighted his role in the Supreme Court overturning nationwide abortion rights two years ago. Trump responded by attacking Harris as too liberal, suggesting she was simply a continuation of the unpopular Joe Biden administration.

The debate, which took place less than two months before Election Day (Nov. 5) and just before early ballots begin to be mailed in Alabama, created a crucial moment for voters to assess the differences between the two candidates. Harris appeared to be trying to position herself as a relief option for voters looking to escape Trump’s contentious politics. That contrast was highlighted by Harris’s arguments, which distracted Trump and veered away from his campaign’s main themes.

Ben Warner, a political communications professor at the University of Missouri who watched the debate with students, said Harris succeeded in keeping Trump from focusing on key issues like immigration and inflation. Instead, Trump repeatedly returned to defending himself on the 2020 election and his role on January 6, 2020 (when Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol building). "It was the first time we saw Trump go off the rails. He should be talking about one of his best issues, but he was talking about rallies," Warner said.

Trump, though on the defensive, sought to push his core campaign message that inflation and immigration were hurting Americans. He said immigrants were “destroying the fabric of the country,” and repeatedly linked Harris to incumbent President Joe Biden. “She’s Biden,” Trump asserted, emphasizing that inflation and the economy were issues Harris could not escape. Vice President Harris, responding forcefully, emphasized that she was neither Joe Biden nor Donald Trump, but represented a new generation of leadership.

Snap polls after the debate showed that about 6 in 10 viewers thought Harris had performed better than they expected. But the debate did not appear to have had a major impact on voters’ voting decisions, with many holding the same views before and after the event. Harris did improve slightly in the percentage of people who viewed her favorably, especially on her handling of abortion and defending democracy. But Trump still held the advantage on the economy and immigration — issues he said were plaguing Americans.

The debate cemented Harris’s role as a candidate representing change and a new direction for America, while Trump continued to act as a defender of traditional Republican values ​​and economics. While the direct impact on voters’ votes is unclear, the debate gave voters a deeper look at the two candidates, shaping their perceptions of the presidential race.