A CNN poll conducted by SSRS found that registered voters who watched Tuesday’s presidential debate believe that Kamala Harris outperformed Donald Trump. Debate watchers also said that Harris exceeded their expectations and performed better than Joe Biden did against Trump in a previous debate. A majority of Harris supporters agreed that she had a better performance, while a smaller majority of Trump supporters credited him with a better night. Views of each candidate’s strengths on various issues reflected national polling dynamics, with Trump holding an advantage on topics like the economy and immigration, and Harris being more trusted on issues like abortion and protecting democracy.
Those who watched the debate overall left with improved views of Harris compared to their pre-debate impressions, while few changed their opinions of Trump. The majority of viewers said the debate had no effect on their presidential decision, although Trump supporters were more likely than Harris supporters to say the event made them reconsider. This marks a shift from the June debate when Trump was seen as outperforming Biden. Debate watchers were more likely to be Republican-aligned than Democratic-aligned, making for a more GOP-leaning audience than the national average.
Opinions of Harris among debate watchers were split, with 45% viewing her favorably and 44% unfavorably. This was an improvement from before the debate when 39% viewed her favorably. Views of Trump remained relatively the same, with 39% rating him favorably and 51% unfavorably post-debate. Among political independents who watched the debate, Harris’ favorability rose to 48%. Confidence in Harris and Trump’s ability to lead the country was split, with most expressing at least some confidence in both candidates. Trump had a wider advantage in handling the economy and immigration, while Harris was more trusted in protecting democracy and handling abortion.
A majority of debate watchers said the debate did not affect their choice for president, with only a small percentage saying it made them reconsider or change their minds. Trump supporters were more likely to say they were wavering after the debate compared to Harris supporters. The poll was conducted with 605 registered US voters who watched the debate, with results representative of debate watchers only. The findings have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 5.3 percentage points. It is important to note that the results of the poll reflect only the opinions of those who watched the debate and are not representative of the full voting public.
Overall, the debate watchers had split opinions of Harris and Trump, with Harris being seen in a more positive light post-debate. Trump had a wider advantage on certain issues like the economy and immigration, while Harris was more trusted on others like protecting democracy and handling abortion. The outcomes of the debate mark a significant shift from previous debates and reflect the changing dynamics of the presidential race.
