US media declares Harris winner after Trump struggles to regain control in 'fiery' debate
In the first and possibly only debate between US Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, rivals for the Oval Office this fall, Harris emerged as the clear winner, according to American and international media outlets.
The debate, held on Tuesday night, was characterized by heated exchanges and personal attacks, with Harris maintaining control while Trump struggled to regain his footing.
Although no post-debate polls have been released yet, reports from various media sources indicate that undecided voters in focus groups overwhelmingly felt Harris outperformed Trump. The Washington Post noted that many swing-state voters shifted toward Harris after she successfully "got under Trump's skin" through calculated provocations.
The Post further reported that regardless of their voting intentions, many viewers felt that Harris had the stronger performance. It highlighted her ability to challenge Trump in a way that President Joe Biden had not during his debate with Trump earlier in the campaign season. That debate had been widely seen as a turning point that damaged Biden’s candidacy.
Following Biden's withdrawal from the race weeks after his lackluster debate performance, he endorsed Harris as his successor, setting up the current electoral contest between Harris, representing the Democratic Party, and Trump for the Republicans.