Republicans fret Trump debate performance could haunt him at polls in November
“It was a big missed opportunity in not defining Harris,” said Mike DuHaime, a GOP consultant and former political director for the Republican National Committee.
Donald Trump's unpredictable performance during Tuesday night’s debate, some Republicans say, undermined his best chance to negatively affect Kamala Harris' standing with swing voters. GOP strategists and party leaders have called his showing a “missed opportunity” that could prove detrimental in the upcoming November election.
The debate, hosted by ABC News, was a key moment for both campaigns. Democratic nominee Kamala Harris aimed to introduce herself to voters and demonstrate her ability to handle the high-profile stage. Trump, on the other hand, was looking to counter Harris' momentum by linking her to dissatisfaction with the Biden administration's handling of issues like the economy and immigration.
However, Republicans who spoke to USA TODAY shortly after the debate noted that Trump struggled to make his case. Harris frequently forced the 78-year-old former president to defend himself on topics ranging from rally crowd sizes to the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. Trump's tendency to go off-topic made it difficult for him to focus on his criticisms of Harris, leaving many in the GOP believing he missed an important opportunity.
“It was a big missed opportunity in not defining Harris,” said Mike DuHaime, a GOP consultant and former political director for the Republican National Committee. He added that Harris succeeded partly because Trump was ineffective in his approach.
Trump may not get another chance like this, as no additional debates are scheduled, and he has suggested he might not participate in further ones.
While debate performances can be pivotal, their impact is sometimes difficult to gauge. Even though past presidents like Barack Obama and George W. Bush experienced debate missteps, they still won their elections. Trump himself had a lackluster debate against Hillary Clinton in 2016 yet went on to win the presidency. GOP consultant Alex Conant emphasized that debates are critical moments in presidential campaigns, stating, “Very little else can change the direction of a race. Not only did (Trump) miss his opportunity, she seized hers.”
Karl Rove, who led George W. Bush's successful campaigns, criticized Trump’s performance, remarking that he was “crushed” by Harris, a candidate he had previously dismissed.
Despite criticism from some Republicans, the Trump campaign praised his debate performance. Senior advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles released a statement calling it “masterful,” while Trump himself claimed in a Fox News interview that he won the debate.
Ralph Reed, a Trump ally, said that the campaign will continue to highlight Harris’ perceived failures on issues like the economy and immigration, which he believes will weigh her down more than the debate results. Reed criticized the debate format as being unfair to Trump, but still felt the former president “held his own.”
Some Republicans acknowledged Harris' effective strategy in the debate. Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida observed that Harris successfully got under Trump’s skin and advised Trump to remain calm in future debates, noting that her attacks stemmed from her lack of clear policy solutions.
Other Republicans echoed this sentiment, with Sen. Lindsey Graham remarking that while Harris rattled Trump, she didn’t make a strong case for how she would improve the country.
Republican Party members like Vermont GOP Chair Paul Dame expressed disappointment with Trump’s performance, calling it his “worst debate ever.” Dame criticized Trump for focusing on irrelevant issues rather than key topics like the economy and public safety.
As Trump prepares for the final stretch of his campaign, he has two months to recalibrate his strategy. Former Florida Republican congressman David Jolly, now an independent, believes Trump damaged his chances but still has time to recover. He predicts Trump will lean into a “negative partisanship” strategy to vilify Harris, though Jolly doubts this approach will work as effectively in 2024 as it did against Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Jolly concluded that Trump has yet to grasp the full extent of his own liabilities, which could lead to difficulties in November. “It was a candidate in trouble we saw last night,” Jolly remarked, “without a question.”
