Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will face off Tuesday night in Philadelphia for their first and potentially only debate before the November election, a high-stakes opportunity with the potential to further upend an already tumultuous race.
The debate, set in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania, is a crucial test for the vice president and former president. Harris, a former prosecutor who hasn’t debated in years, has yet to fully detail her agenda and vision. Trump, a convicted felon, has struggled to define his new opponent after President Joe Biden dropped out – and faces the reality that his age, 78, is a big liability.
Harris, 59, has enjoyed a surge in momentum and fundraising since replacing Biden at the top of the ticket, but polls show the race is close. Expect the two candidates to spar over the economy, border security and abortion access as they strive to win over undecided voters and energize their supporters.
How do you watch the debate?
The 90-minute forum will kick off at 8 p.m. Central time and can be viewed on host network ABC News. The debate will also stream on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu. Other broadcast networks, including Bloomberg Television, will simulcast the event. ABC journalists David Muir and Linsey Davis will moderate.
Who qualified for the debate?
Harris and Trump were the only candidates to meet ABC’s requirements: Getting support from at least 15% of registered or likely voters in four national polls and appearing on enough state ballots to reach the 270 electoral vote threshold for victory.
What are the rules of the debate?
There will be no live studio audience. Microphones will be turned on only for the candidate whose turn it is to speak, according to the network, ending weeks of disagreement between the two campaigns. It’s a win for the Trump team, who had advocated for the muted microphones while Harris, in a reversal for Democrats, pushed for them to remain live to better capture Trump’s interjections.
Harris and Trump must stay behind their podiums. Harris picked the right one and Trump will be on the left. Pre-written notes are not allowed on stage, but they will have pens, paper and water.
They won’t be able to consult with their staff during the event’s two commercial breaks. There will be no opening remarks from either candidate, and Trump will have the last closing statement as determined by a coin flip that he won.
What do Harris and Trump have at stake?
Perhaps no election cycle in recent memory has been shaped by a presidential debate more than this one, after Biden’s poor performance against Trump in their June showdown crystallized concerns over his age and acuity and threw his final campaign into crisis.
The challenge for Harris, who has largely been untested as a presidential candidate in unscripted settings, is to introduce herself to those unfamiliar with her biography as well as dodge criticism of the current administration. Trump has been chastised by both allies and critics for attacks on the vice president’s intelligence, gender and racial identity that could alienate key voters.
Polls show a tight race, with Harris leading or tied with the former president in seven swing states, according to a recent Bloomberg News/Morning Consult survey of voters. Nationally, Harris maintains a slim lead over her rival, according to a RealClearPolitics average.
What will Harris and Trump say about the economy?
The two candidates’ dueling tax plans will get a prime-time airing. Harris has proposed a ten-fold increase in the small business tax deduction for startup costs and called for a 28% capital gains tax rate on people earning $1 million or more. She has also unveiled measures aimed at providing $25,000 down-payment assistance to first-time homebuyers and curbing the cost of rent and groceries.
Trump is promising tax cuts for corporations, individuals and retirees, and last week pledged to reduce the corporate tax rate to 15%, slash regulations and audit the federal government. Both he and Harris have said they’d support eliminating taxes on tips, while Harris has also vowed to end subminimum wages for tipped workers.
Trump’s proposals for targeted tax cuts are resonating with voters in battleground states, but Harris is closing the gap with Trump on tax issues and the broader economy, according to the Bloomberg poll.
What will Trump and Harris say about abortion and immigration?
Harris has previously highlighted Trump’s appointment of conservative justices to the Supreme Court who overturned federal abortion protections, an issue that has been key to Democratic wins in recent elections. Trump has struggled to land on pledges on reproductive rights that don’t antagonize important blocs of the Republican Party yet still appeal to voters.
The former president will likely go on offense on border security and crime and frame Harris as responsible for the current administration’s immigration policies, citing the role she was given as vice president to address the root causes of migration to the US from three countries in Central America. Harris has said she supported the bipartisan immigration bill, scuttled by Trump’s pressure over congressional Republicans, which would have funded more construction of the wall at the US-Mexico border.
Will there be future debates?
Trump last month proposed two additional debates. Harris campaign staffers said they would negotiate an additional forum if Trump shows up to the first one.
Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and Trump’s pick, Ohio Senator JD Vance, are set to face off Oct. 1 in New York City.