Residents reaction to Presidential Debate: "There's a debate?"

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are set to take the debate stage Thursday night at 8 p.m. The consensus from many Coastal Bend residents, however, is that they are unaware there was a debate tonight.

Corpus Christi resident Joshua Faulkner had no idea that the two candidates were debating tonight. When it comes to politics, Faulkner will pay attention "on occasion, while I’m on my boat, when I’m watching the news, but not that much."

Patrick Semansky / AP

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi senior Pedro Velasquez won't be tuning in tonight because of work, but even if he were home, he would rather watch something else. "Even though most of the time people have their minds made up, debates can help sway opinions...sometimes."

Another Texas A&M-CC senior, Lily Fultz, felt similarly when it comes to politics. "If it's on, I'll watch it if nothing else is on." She continued, "I know about politics, but that's not something I really seek out."

Some residents were aware that the debate would be taking place tonight, but tuning in was still not on their to-do list. Frank Vecina put it bluntly, "Everyone's made up their mind already."

While most may have their minds made up, there are those who still feel it's important that voters tune in to these debates. Karl Hattman is a co-founder of the Aransas County Young Republicans group. Hattman is aware that while the viewership is not there, he is hopeful that "anyone who does miss it says, 'I don’t want to miss the next one,' starts paying attention so that we have a second one.”

The debate begins Thursday at 9 p.m. ET and is expected to last 90 minutes and can be found on Scripps News on-air or watch on the Scripps News website, click here.

Scripps News' live coverage of the debate starts at 6 p.m. ET.

For the latest local news updates, click here , or download the KRIS 6 News App.