John Tyson
The presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump has left a strong mark on the swing state voters. The only scheduled debate between the two has sparked mixed reactions across different states, whereby voters assess each candidate’s performance. A more detailed look at how the debate went across key swing states: Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, Nevada, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Voter Reactions in Pennsylvania
Among the critical swing states, there were mixed reactions in Pennsylvania following the debate as both Harris and Biden supporters alike came out to discuss their thoughts about the event.
Harris Supporters’ Views
Carlos T. Carter of Beaver County is a Harris supporter and said Harris was prepared and professional. He said Harris’s prosecutorial background shined through in the debate. “She ate Trump for lunch,” said Carter, adding he thought she came off more presidential. That feeling he had was shared by many Harris supporters who appreciated her confident demeanor.
The largest turnout for Harris watch parties was in Erie, where close to 300 supporters showed up. The crowd laughed when Trump accused Harris, among other things, of being a “Marxist.” The room was electric for Harris during rebuttals that sent the crowd erupting into applause.
Trump Supporters’ Views
For instance, Heather Solesky from York County is a Republican; she did not like Trump’s performance because he sometimes lost his poise, particularly when defending certain policies. Her part-Solesky defended Trump and claimed that though Harris won the debate, she did not win the election.
At a GOP watch party in Lefty’s Tavern, Renea Kovski said something similar. While she’d been frustrated at first with how Harris argued, she was still for Trump – “killing it” was the way she described how he ended the debate.
Reactions from Arizona Voters
Arizona voters had something to say about it, too. Many attended watch parties in Phoenix. Most attending were Democrats, although some Republican voters did provide their commentary, too.
Harris Supporters’ Reactions
The audience laughed loudly during one event in Phoenix as Trump boasted about his records on the economy and falsely claimed himself independent of Project 2025. Ricardo Reyes, an independent voter for residence at 42 years old, praised Harris for how she handled Trump’s words. “Harris is effectively countering Trump’s tactics of fear mongering,” he said.
Trump Supporters’ Reactions
Of course, not everyone in Arizona was wowed by Harris. Cliff Dawson is a life-long Republican who came into the debate saying he didn’t think he would learn anything from the debate but wanted to see Trump implicate himself. Dawson, though a Republican, had never voted for Trump and remained unimpressed with his performance.
Georgia’s Debate Reactions
Voters in Georgia weighed in on the Harris vs. Trump showdown-some even giving very high praise for the vice president.
Harris Supporters’ Opinions
Beth Foster Marone, 56, a behaviour analyst from Fayetteville, was hardcore for Harris, saying Biden did the right thing by stepping aside. According to Marone, leadership capabilities oozed from Harris during the debate.
For some people, such as Justin Owens, Harris was fantastic, but he would want him to be more subtle in his responses in some instances, like the one about the Israel-Gaza conflict. Despite this, the tone at a watch party in Fayetteville celebrating Harris supporters was upbeat with regards to her chances of winning in the election.
Trump Supporters’ Reactions
For other Republicans in the state, Trump’s confrontational style was less than ideal. Still others thought he held his own but offered little in the way of tangible solutions to the most vexing problems of the day.
North Carolina’s Perspective
Reactions were mixed among North Carolina voters after watching the debate. The audience at the Wake County GOP headquarters was respectful yet riveted, breaking into boos and catcalls whenever Harris spoke.
Harris Supporters’ Views
Unaffiliated voter Glenn Watson of Cary called Harris composed, adding “it didn’t seem like she was giving very specific answers to the questions.” Still, many Democrats in this state thought Harris seemed empathetic and articulate.
Trump Supporters’ Opinions
For her part, GOP Samantha Warren felt Trump was “out of his league” when debating Harris. She liked Harris’s clarity on policies and that the vice president gave America an opportunity to get to know her better.
Nevada Voters’ Reactions
Opinions were all over the board in Nevada, as supporters of Harris and Trump alike provided their criticism of the debate.
Harris Supporters’ Reactions
Gabe Kanae, of Las Vegas, is a Democrat and said it would be awesome to vote for Harris in his first presidential election. Kanae was in awe that Harris kept Trump at bay with her answers. To other Harris supporters in Nevada, at least Harris delivered strong and clear messages about critical issues, even if some personal concerns weren’t covered.
Trump Supporters’ Reactions
For some of the Trump supporters, like Rey Shirley, the debate had been less substantial. Shirley was hoping to listen to more detail with respect to economic policies, specifically about tariffs and intellectual property. Shirley said she favored Trump on fiscal matters, but Harris was “way more reserved.”.
Michigan’s Debate Reactions
Michigan voters had a lot to say after the debate and reflected the state’s importance going into the election.
Harris Supporters’ Views
Jesse Randle, an equipment operator who is now retired, felt that Harris “gave better answers” and seemed to leave Trump rattled. He could not fathom how so many could still support the man when he was so taken with dictators and divisive rhetoric.
Maura Keller, an independent vying for Georgia’s 3rd congressional district did no less. She praised the vice president for owning the stage by explaining that Harris’ responses were factual and measured.
Trump Supporters’ Views
In Michigan, meanwhile, Trump supporters had felt that the debate was rigged against their candidate. Eric Rosenberg, a conservative attorney, said he believed that the moderators were way too hard on Trump while allowing Harris to skate through difficult questions.
Wisconsin’s Reaction to the Debate
Wisconsin voters had something to say, too, and some were optimistic about Harris, though others still held their ground for Trump.
Harris Supporters’ Views
In Madison-the most liberal town-most appeared pretty confident with Harris’s capabilities. Lisa Pardon, a supporter of Harris, felt the vice president showed competence and leadership to date, which made her a formidable candidate for the presidency.
Nadir Carlson, a younger voter, felt the contest would be close but that Harris’s campaign was laying the right groundwork for a win.
Trump Supporters’ Views
In Green Bay, where supporters had gathered at the campaign headquarters, the mood was much more subdued. Many felt that Trump was refreshingly honest, but Christine Schiller did admit that the aggressive tone of the former president did not always work:
It was this debate in the 2024 election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump that literally defined the activity. Among the identified key swing states, reactions of voters varied from firm support in favor of a particular candidate to otherwise indecision. The debate, though it could have been the one and only first face-to-face encounter, both candidates’ bottom line is yet to be told in case of its influence on the election.
