Trump and Harris will spar in a debate that could influence the 2024 election

Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the presidency of the United States, and Kamala Harris, the Democratic Vice President, will engage in their inaugural and potentially sole debate on Tuesday. This showdown could be a critical turning point in their competitive race for the presidency.

At 9 p.m. ET (0100 GMT on Wednesday), the ABC News-hosted debate will take place, with both candidates in a close race that could still easily swing in either direction, just eight weeks before the Nov. 5 election. Just days following the debate, early voting will commence in certain states.

In contrast to the well-known Trump, over 25% of prospective voters believe that they do not yet have sufficient knowledge of Harris, making the encounter particularly significant for her.

Harris, a former prosecutor, is also afforded the opportunity to present her argument against Trump during the nationally televised debate. Trump’s felony convictions, outspoken support for supporters convicted of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, and frequent falsehoods provide ample fertile ground for such an argument.

The two candidates will be meeting for the first time, and it will follow weeks of personal attacks on Harris by Trump and his allies, which have included bigoted and sexist insults.

John Geer, a professor at Vanderbilt University and an expert on presidential politics, has suggested that a comparable onstage outburst could alienate undecided voters.

The advisers and fellow Republicans of Trump have advised him to concentrate on the issues of illegal immigration and high prices on Tuesday, as they are popular with voters. They have also suggested that Harris is too liberal for the country.

Harris declared in a radio interview that aired on Monday that “there is no floor for him in terms of how low he will go, and we should be prepared for that.”

Presidential debates do not consistently alter the outcome of a campaign; however, they can significantly alter the dynamics. President Joe Biden’s campaign was ultimately terminated as a result of his failure to perform effectively against Trump in June.

In a contest that could once again be decided by tens of thousands of votes in a small number of states, even a minor change in public opinion could change the outcome. Polling averages compiled by the New York Times indicate that the two candidates are effectively deadlocked in the seven battleground states that are expected to determine the election.

“There is more for Kamala Harris to gain and more for her to lose,” stated Mitchell McKinney, a former adviser to the U.S. Commission on Presidential Debates, regarding her relative lack of recognition among voters.

Viewers will be seeking her stance on a variety of issues. However, they will also be observing her behavior in response to Trump, which is equally significant.

Donald Trump, in contrast, is already well-defined. At this juncture, McKinney stated, “You are either for him or against him.”

A 90-minute debate will be conducted at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. In accordance with the campaigns’ agreement, microphones will be muted when it is not the candidate’s turn to speak, and there will be no live audience.

Preparatory Tasks

Harris has been in Pittsburgh since Thursday, conducting practice sessions on a stage with an array of lights to simulate the debate environment. A former Hillary Clinton aide, Philippe Reines, is portraying Trump.

Instead of rehearsing, Trump has utilized informal conversations with advisers, campaign appearances, and media interviews to prepare for Tuesday. Former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who engaged in a memorable hostile exchange with Harris during a Democratic presidential debate in 2019, has provided guidance.

During a conference call with reporters, Gabbard stated that Trump would treat Harris equivalently to any other opponent.

“President Trump respects women and doesn’t feel the need to be patronizing or to speak to women in any other way than he would speak to a man,” she pointed out. “He is speaking to Kamala Harris’s record, and comparing and contrasting that with his record of success.”

Despite the fact that any personal conflict will garner significant attention, particularly on social media, the two rivals are also expected to engage in a series of significant disputes.

The vice president is anticipated to criticize Trump on abortion and characterize him as unsuitable to lead, according to a Harris campaign official. It is anticipated that she will also advocate for her initiatives to reduce consumer costs and fortify the middle class.

Harris and Democrats have prioritized abortion as a key concern since 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court, which was presided over by three Trump appointees, eliminated a nationwide right to the procedure in a widely unpopular decision.

Trump has been held accountable for the ruling in her speeches, as she has referred to the state restrictions as “Trump abortion bans.”

Additionally, she has endeavored to establish a connection between Trump and Project 2025, a conservative blueprint from the Heritage Foundation think tank that calls for the elimination of environmental regulations, the expansion of executive power, and the prohibition of the transportation of abortion drugs across state lines, among other right-wing objectives.

While distancing himself from Project 2025, Trump has employed a variety of rhetoric regarding abortion, despite the fact that numerous of his former advisers were involved in the development of proposals.

Trump, on the other hand, will associate Harris with the Biden administration’s immigration policy, criticizing them for the unprecedented number of migrant crossings that occurred prior to the recent flurry of executive orders that significantly reduced the numbers.

In addition, it is probable that he will attribute Harris’s actions to the elevated consumer prices that have led to widespread economic pessimism, despite the fact that job and wage growth have been robust.

It is anticipated that he will emphasize Harris’ previous endorsement of left-wing positions, including the prohibition of fracking, which she has since renounced. This portrayal could render her an extreme liberal in disguise or a flip-flopper.