Republican Donald Trump shakes hands with Democrat Kamala Harris at the start of ABC News’ presidential debate Tuesday in Philadelphia.
AP
Reactions from suburban political leaders to Tuesday night’s presidential debate often were as politically charged as the two candidates’ remarks in Philadelphia.
Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris found little common ground as they sparred for 90 minutes. The mood was combative, with both the former president and the current vice president attacking each others’ stances on crime, the economy, abortion, foreign policy and other issues.
U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, a Downers Grove Democrat who represents Illinois’ 6th District, criticized Trump’s debate performance on X, the social media platform formerly called Twitter, throughout the event. Casten went after the former president’s reliance on tariffs as an economic tool, his opposition to national abortion protections and his habit of changing topics while speaking.
Trump’s repetition of an unproved claim that immigrants are eating pets in Ohio particularly infuriated Casten.
“Eating dogs? Are you freaking kidding me?” Casten wrote.
Illinois Republican Party Co-Chair Aaron Del Mar of Palatine thought Harris got under Trump’s skin by citing the experts at the Wharton School who criticized Trump’s economic plan and mentioning the people captured on video leaving Trump rallies before they ended.
“She baited him very well and he bit hard,” Del Mar said. “He should have known not to take that bait.”
Del Mar also thought Harris avoided directly answering many questions and instead “did a great job of pivoting to whatever narrative she wanted to create.”
U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, a Highland Park Democrat serving the 10th District, touted Harris’ stated goals to build the middle class and help small businesses.
“She will lead us to a brighter future — Donald Trump will take us backward,” Schneider said in a post on X.
He later praised Harris’ overall debate performance.
“Tonight we saw in Kamala Harris what ‘presidential’ looks like,” Schneider said.
Conversely, 9th District Republican candidate Seth Alan Cohen of Skokie said Trump “laid out a clear conservative agenda” that emphasized lower taxes, reducing regulations, preserving states’ rights and enforcing the rule of law, especially at the nation’s southern border.
“The American people were the true winners last night, as both presidential candidates presented their visions for the nation’s future,” Cohen said in a prepared statement Wednesday.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth was in Philadelphia to support Harris on Tuesday night, serving as a surrogate for the media after the debate. First, though, she posted her thoughts on the debate on X throughout the event.
Trump’s remarks about the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol drew Duckworth’s anger.
When asked by moderator David Muir if he had any regrets concerning that day, Trump said he had nothing to do with the catastrophic events. Trump blamed then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser for rejecting his request to send National Guard troops to the rally at which he spoke, which preceded the Capitol assault.
Noting that she, like Harris, was at the U.S. Capitol when it was attacked by Trump supporters, Duckworth called Trump’s refusal to acknowledge his role in the riot “disgraceful.”
Sixth Congressional District Republican candidate Niki Conforti of Glen Ellyn accused Harris of not revealing much about her policy positions. “Most of what she presented was a well-coached, scripted attack on Donald Trump with very little substance,” Conforti said.
But Conforti also said she doesn’t think the debate will do much to change voters’ minds before Election Day on Nov. 5.
Several suburban Republican leaders, including Conforti and Del Mar, accused the debate moderators of not fact-checking both candidates’ statements equally.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris participate in ABC News’ presidential debate Tuesday in Philadelphia.
AP