In Tuesday’s heated presidential debate, Vice President Kamala Harris was widely perceived as having the upper hand against former President Donald Trump. Yet, despite her commanding performance, a critical group of undecided voters still seemed unmoved. Reuters interviewed 10 individuals who had not yet committed to either candidate. By the end of the debate, six leaned toward supporting Trump, three were now backing Harris, and one remained undecided.
The race between Harris and Trump remains tightly contested, and swing voters in key battleground states are likely to determine the outcome. With such a narrow margin expected, the feedback from this small sample reveals important insights into Harris’s campaign strategy. While Harris showed her political mettle in confronting Trump, the undecided voters voiced concerns that her policies were too vague. Many voters want to hear more specific proposals, particularly regarding the U.S. economy and the escalating cost of living—issues that have dominated the election narrative.
Americans are hurting, and Kamala’s performance didn’t seem to cut the mustard.
Five out of the 10 voters interviewed noted that Harris lacked depth when discussing economic recovery and inflation, topics that have left voters grappling with their future financial security. Interestingly, even some of those who expressed distaste for Trump’s personality felt more inclined to trust his handling of the economy, reminiscing about the economic stability they perceived during his presidency from 2017 to 2021. His plans to tax foreign imports resonated with several, despite warnings from economists about potential price hikes. Harris, on the other hand, was seen as too aligned with the current administration of President Joe Biden, a figure many hold responsible for rising costs.
The debate, therefore, represented a crucial moment for Harris, particularly since recent polling data from the New York Times and Siena College indicated that over a quarter of likely voters feel they still don’t know enough about her. In contrast, Trump’s policies and persona are well-known. Yet this familiarity plays in Trump’s favor, with some voters emphasizing that their personal financial situations had been better during his administration.
A striking comment came from Mark Kadish, a 61-year-old entrepreneur from Florida, who reflected the sentiment of many: “I still don’t know what she is for. There was no real meat and bones for her plans.”
Of the 10 undecided voters, their backgrounds were diverse—four women, six men, with eight identifying as white and two as Black. All had previously cast ballots for both Democratic and Republican candidates. While Harris did offer some policy specifics, such as tax breaks for families and small businesses, her focus on attacking Trump overpowered her policy discussions, leaving many voters unconvinced.
Robert Wheeler, a 48-year-old security firm executive from Nevada, was leaning toward Harris before the debate but found himself swayed by Trump afterward. His disappointment stemmed from Harris’s lack of clarity, summarizing the experience: “I felt like the whole debate was Kamala Harris telling me why not to vote for Donald Trump instead of why she’s the right candidate.”
On the flip side, Meredith Marshall, a self-employed voter from Los Angeles, moved toward Harris despite wanting more detail on economic policies. Marshall was particularly drawn to Harris’s support for small businesses, an issue close to her own experiences.
Yep. I said this last night.
Only theatre kids thought Harris won. https://t.co/EbnolXMG5z
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) September 11, 2024
