Presidential debates matter in American politics. And the one that takes place on Tuesday night between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris – their only currently scheduled face-off – may matter more than most.
Joe Biden’s poor performance in the first presidential debate in late June created a firestorm of pressure within the Democratic Party that ultimately forced him to abandon his re-election campaign.
Even though Kamala Harris has been vice-president for more than three years and a candidate for president for seven weeks, she is still a relative unknown for many Americans. In a recent New York Times survey, 28% of likely November voters said that they needed to know more about the Californian.
That poll showed the race a statistical dead heat – a finding most recent surveys have also indicated, both nationally and in key battleground states. The 2024 presidential campaign has been full of historic tumult, but the American electorate is still sharply – and narrowly – divided.
That underscores the importance of Tuesday night’s debate, where even small shifts in the mood of the electorate could be the difference between victory and defeat for the candidates.
Read more at BBC.com
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