Viewers are more interested in hearing about Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s plans for the country and their achievements as president in the upcoming debate, rather than hearing critiques of each other. Some viewers are also concerned about the candidates’ mental and cognitive health. There is a divide in expectations among Democrats and Republicans on how the candidates should present themselves, with Democrats wanting Biden to take a more forceful tone and Republicans wanting Trump to be more polite.
There are indications that Democrats are feeling more apprehensive than Republicans about the debate. Democrats are less sure that Biden will “win” the debate and believe he needs to avoid mistakes more than Republicans think Trump does. Additionally, fewer Democrats plan to watch the debate live compared to Republicans. About one in five viewers are hoping the debate will help them decide who to vote for, with younger voters being more likely to have this perspective.
The majority of voters nationwide believe Trump should be more polite than forceful in the debate, with Democrats wanting Biden to take a forceful tone. Republicans are more confident that Trump will win the debate compared to Democrats’ confidence in Biden. Independents lean towards Trump winning the debate, but an equal number are unsure of who will come out victorious.
Both candidates are expected to explain their plans for the future in the debate, with partisans feeling their nominee should inspire confidence. While voters think both candidates need to accomplish similar things in the debate, more voters believe Biden needs to avoid mistakes than Trump does. The economy, inflation, democracy, crime, and the border are top issues for voters, so viewers may be looking for the candidates’ stances on these topics during the debate.
About six in 10 voters plan to watch all or parts of the debate live, with more Republicans than Democrats planning to tune in. Those who are highly engaged in the presidential campaign are more likely to watch the debate live. Overall, relatively few viewers believe the debate will change their opinions, but many are interested in seeing how the candidates perform. The survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of U.S. adult residents and registered voters and weighted according to demographic factors.
