Swing state voters watching debate say Harris was prepared, Trump lost his cool

WASHINGTON - Swing state voters gathered in living rooms, in bars, local party headquarters, even at a neighborhood wine shop Tuesday night for what may be the only debate between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris.

Carlos T. Carter, a Harris supporter from the Pittsburgh area, said the vice president displayed her prosecutorial skills and that she came across as prepared and presidential.

Heather Solesky, a Republican who lives in solidly red central Pennsylvania, said she was disappointed that former President Trump seemed to lose his cool during parts of the debate.

Much was at stake for both Trump and Harris . Vote-by-mail ballots have already gone out in several states, and early voting is beginning in others. Election Day is in a little less than eight weeks.

No other presidential debates are scheduled - though the Harris campaign asked for another one minutes after the debate ended - so Tuesday's 90-minute showdown is likely the only opportunity for the two presidential candidates to directly counter the other in what is expected to be an incredibly close election.

Reporters for USA TODAY's network partners caught up with swing-state residents during and after the Harris vs. Trump debate in Philadelphia. Here's what they said:

Pennsylvania

Carter, the Harris supporter who lives in Beaver County, which Trump claimed by solid margins in 2016 and 2020, said the former president did a good job of “speaking to the pain of the American people” and delivering the type of performance his supporters have come to expect from him.

Overall, though, Carter felt Harris “ate him for lunch.”

Solesky said she understood Trump's pique, saying that Harris kept putting him on the defensive by insulting his rallies and making other jabs.

Watching the debate from her York County home, Solesky said Harris came across as “well-coached” and a “fantastic actress." If she were a low-informed voter, Solesky might be tempted to support the vice president, she said.

But despite Trump's debate performance, Solesky still plans to vote for the former president in November.

“She may have won the battle, but I don’t think she’s going to win the war,” Solesky said of Harris.

More: Who won the debate? Harris' forceful performance rattles a defensive Trump.

Nearly 300 Harris supporters packed a warehouse behind the Lavery Brewing Co. in downtown Erie to watch the debate, which organizers said was the largest turnout among the watch parties it held across the battleground state. State Rep. Bob Merski said he hadn't seen a crowd that size come out for a watch party since Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.

In the early minutes of the debate, the spectators laughed when Trump called Harris a "Marxist" and heckled him when he suggested that the Biden administration was letting criminals into the country.

"You're a criminal," one woman yelled.

When Trump suggested that abortions were being allowed after birth, a mix of boos and laughs filled the room. Then the crowd erupted in applause when ABC moderator Linsey Davis corrected him, saying "There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby."

"She's doing great," said Jess Hubert, a staff administrator for a local university. "She's answering the questions. She's on point with her rebuttals."

It was clear contrast from what Hubert and her boyfriend, Robert Wagner, saw when President Joe Biden debated Trump in June.

"Now Trump is in the same spot Biden was," Wagner said.

The couple watched the debate on a cell phone because the warehouse where the watch party was held was filled to capacity.

Across town, Renea Kovski stepped out of Lefty's Tavern to smoke a cigeratte. She said she was getting aggravated with Harris and what she characterized as her "lies." She gathered with more than 30 people for a GOP watch party inside the bar, but organizers asked the press to stay out.

"He's doing OK," Kovski, wearing a Trump T-shirt, said. "He's losing his temper more than he should."

But she later said Trump was "killing it."

"We knew it would be heated and it is," she said.

Arizona

The crowd of mostly Democrats gathered in folding chairs around a television at a Harris supporter’s home in Phoenix. They tittered as Trump claimed that the economy was better while he was president and, later, that he had “nothing to do” with Project 2025 , the conservative policy blueprint put together by former Trump administration officials.

They laughed again at Trump’s claims that Harris “doesn’t have a plan” and that she “is a Marxist.”

Event organizers handed out debate bingo card with buzzwords like “jobs,” “healthcare,” and “weird.”

More: Taylor Swift's response to presidential debate? She quickly endorsed Kamala Harris.

Cliff Dawson was the rare Republican in attendance at a watch party in Phoenix organized by the Harris campaign.

Dawson has always been registered with the GOP, though he has been willing to vote across party lines. He picked Obama over the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in 2008, has never voted for Trump, and would never vote for a GOP candidate who is an “election denier.”

He said he believes Trump, who has been convicted on 34 felony counts for falsifying business records, is running for office “to stay out of jail.” Entering the debate, Dawson said he didn’t expect to learn anything but was eagerly awaiting missteps by Trump.

“I want to see some self-incrimination,” he said.

Ricardo Reyes, a 42-year-old organizer with the veterans group Common Defense who lives in Phoenix, had a positive review for Harris at a watch party in Mesa. Reyes voted for both McCain and Obama, and he considers himself an independent.

“Kamala is playing Trump pretty well,” Reyes said. “What Trump is trying to do is just throw out fear mongering and divisive rhetoric. And so far, I think Kamala has handled it very well.”

Georgia

Half way through the debate, Beth Foster Marone, a 46-year-old behavior analyst, was feeling far more confident in the Democratic Party with Harris at the helm.“I think Joe Biden made the right choice. He stepped out at the right time. And seeing Kamala Harris up there tonight, proves to me that all the choices made were the right ones,” she said.

She and her husband, Tom Marone, a member of the Fayette County Democratic Committee, watched the debate at Revival Wines in Fayetteville. Tom Marone said that Harris stayed on message. “She hasn’t fallen into the debate trap of constantly getting into disparaging politics, which is right in Trump’s wheelhouse.”

Inside the packed winery, 25-year-old Justin Owens said Harris was the “clear winner” of the debate.

But if there is a second Harris-Trump debate, he hopes to hear “a stronger, more nuanced response” about the Israel-Gaza conflict.

“Harris’ response has been balanced, but I’d like to see a more specific response,” Owens said. “I wish she was clearer in recognizing that the current Israeli government does not serve the Israeli people very well.”

The mood at the watch party at the end of the debate was one of celebration - and relief. A few people lingered outside, where an inflatable screen had projected the ABC broadcast of the two candidates sparring for the most powerful job on the planet.

Maura Keller, an independent candidate for Georgia’s 3rd congressional district, said there was “no comparison” between Harris and Trump.

“Harris commanded the stage,” Keller said. “As a woman, they’re always looking to see if we’re emotional in our responses. And everything she said to me was factual, even toned. Trump was all over the place. He has no facts.”

North Carolina

At the Wake County GOP office, around 50 people sat in rows attentive to the screen airing the debate. The scent of take-out pizza wafted in the air.

It was a quiet, focused room, until Harris started talking, then the crowd booed and the occasionally chuckled.

Glenn Watson, who lives in Cary, stood in the back taking notes on a folded piece of paper. His scribbles were to keep tabs on Trump's policies so he could later relay them to undecided and independent voters in his life.

"When I talk to them, I'll have, what I like to think, is a balanced rational response," Watson said.

Watson prefers to focus on policy, and he said he didn’t hear Democrats giving enough specifics.

About 20 minutes away, the sound of crickets chirping punctuated a group gathering on lawn chairs for an outdoor watch party.

North Carolina Rep. Julie von Haefen, a Democrat representing the area, said she felt Harris was “showing her depth of knowledge about policy, her ability to respond to a lot of lies and deception on the part of Trump and she’s also just showing, you know, her leadership."

"Her warmth, I think is really coming through tonight,” von Haefen added.

In response to Harris flip-flopping on some of her past policy stances, von Haefen said changing your mind is a healthy part of life, especially as a politician.

“I think that she’s being real,” von Haefen said. “Like she’s being a real person. You know, sometimes I might change my opinion about different things, and I think that’s perfectly fine.”

Samantha Warren, 57, from Morrisville said Trump was "out of his league," with Harris as his debate opponent, adding that Harris was "crystal clear" on her policies and helped America get to know her better during the 90 minutes.

Nevada

Gabe Kanae, a 21-year-old Democrat in Washoe County, Nevada, is ready to vote in their first presidential election. The debate didn't change their mind about voting for Harris and her vice presidential running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Kanae's main issues of concern are the cost of living and individuality. As someone who has battled societal pressures on race and gender, Kanae said they hope to see the next president prioritize acceptance for everyone.

Because Harris and Trump weren't talking about Kanae's primary issues, Kanae said they kept zoning out. Still, Kanae said Harris "absolutely" wins their vote.

As the owner of a small business that does manufacturing and sells globally, Rey Shirley of Reno, is interested in policies about tariffs and protecting intellectual property.

Prior to the debate, the registered independent expressed concern about it potentially lacking substance, especially with regards to Trump.

“Even though I probably lean a bit more toward the conservative side on the fiscal side of things, I’m definitely concerned with (Trump’s) rhetoric,” Shirley said. “Let’s talk about actual policy changes.”

After the debate, Shirley said she felt that policy specifics were light. While both candidates could have done a better job explaining their plans, Shirley thought Harris at least tried more.

Shirley said she also thought Trump was not as abrasive as he could have been, based on his past debates.

“He was able to keep himself in check enough,” Shirley said. “I think Harris did a better job remaining composed, which was not easy.”

Mary Bryant, who is retired from the University of Nevada, Reno, said she felt like she was watching a debate with two people on two very different levels. She said she went into watching Tuesday's clash wanting to hear from both candidates on their thoughts about abortion.

She said she liked that Harris talked about it being a women’s right and not a state or federal decision. But Bryant also said she didn’t understand what Trump was talking about. She wished Harris had called Trump out more on his lies.

“But I guess she could have spent the entire time doing that,” she said.

Harris came across as positive with good ideas, Bryant said, while adding that she felt Trump came across as negative and lacking in any solid ideas. “I felt she did a good job and was upbeat as much as she could be with that moron,” Bryant said.

Maggie Babb, a Washoe County School District teacher for 10 years, said she was disappointed neither candidate talked about education or school safety. She teaches second grade at Desert Heights Elementary School in Reno and said in the wake of the most recent school shooting in Georgia , she wanted to hear from both candidates about what they would do to make sure school shootings don't happen.

“What are we going to do about the gun problem?” she said.

Michigan

Jesse Randle, a retired heavy equipment operator from Saginaw, said Harris “gave better answers” and appeared to have Trump rattled at times.

“It wasn’t a good debate for him,” Randle said of Trump. “He played the same game as he usually does.”

Randle, a lifelong Democrat, said he wonders how such a large percentage of the country can support Trump, given his history and his apparent admiration for dictators such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

“What are the people thinking?” he asked.

Eric Rosenberg, a Novi attorney in Oakland County, said Trump did what he needed to do in a debate that he described as “three against one,” with the former president up against not just Harris but the two ABC moderators.

Rosenberg, who called himself a conservative, said the moderators fact checked Trump but did not call out Harris on her “fine people on both sides” remark about the 2017 rally in Charlottesville. Multiple media fact checkers have concluded that Trump was not referencing neo-Nazis and white supremacists with that remark, but those on both sides of a debate about removing Confederate statues.

Trump “clearly established that she was Joe Biden” in terms of policy, and that was likely all he could be expected to do under the circumstances, he said.

Claudette Shaffer, a semi-retired business executive and small business owner who lives near Beal City in central Michigan, said Harris is a good debater while Trump “just speaks with impunity,” regardless of truth.

“No one spoke about the existential disaster that is headed our way, which is our (national) deficit,” Shaffer said.

Shaffer, who has voted for both parties over the years, said she hopes Harris will be better on the deficit because she is more competent and rational. “I wouldn’t vote for Donald Trump if he was the last man on earth,” she said.

For Mark Sinacola, a single dad of two school-age children in Highland Township, inflation is the number one issue. That’s a major reason he’s supporting Trump, said Sinacola, who works as a sales representative for a vodka company and is struggling with high prices. His life was better when Trump was president, he said.

Harris did a good job of throwing Trump off his game by referencing crowd sizes, Sinacola said. But he felt it was inappropriate for Harris to bring up rallies in light of the recent assassination attempt on Trump. “He’s a billionaire. He could be doing anything else in the world right now.”

Wisconsin

Debate watchers at Trump campaign headquarters in Green Bay wore "Team Trump" stickers on "Make America Great Again" and American flag shirts.

They booed and shook their heads as Harris called the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol a "violent mob.” One woman put her head in her hands, saying "oh my God, seriously?"

Christine Schiller, 73, called the choice of Trump simple. "He's honest," Schiller said. "Without him, I don't know where we'd be."

Across the state in Madison, Wisconsin’s liberal bastion, Harris’ performance gave voters a sense of cautious optimism about her chances in November.

"I'm feeling confident that she's the most competent person out there," said Lisa Pardon, 67. "I'm not feeling confident that there's a portion of our population that I don't understand where they're getting their information from, but I do feel very strongly that she will do well."

Nadir Carlson, 32, is bracing for a nail-biter.

"I think it's going to be tight race but her team is doing a really good job of working on the states they need to win, and I think people are seeing that this is the chance to finally put an end to Donald Trump and his crazy policies and the way he's acting."

In Milwaukee, longtime GOP strategist Craig Peterson hosted an event for a bipartisan group of invited attendees who enjoyed a meal before the debate.

As the debate dragged on, Peterson, a self-described Reagan Republican who is backing Harris, said the vice president carried the night. His assessment of Trump? "I think he came to the fight unarmed," Peterson said

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Swing state voters watching debate say Harris was prepared, Trump lost his cool