In contrast, the firm believes former President Donald Trump failed to capitalize on the moment, unable to frame the debate as a referendum on Harris and the first four years of the Biden-Harris administration.
While debates often end in both sides claiming victory, Strategas believes “Harris overwhelmingly beat former President Trump.”
“We understand that Republicans are upset over the moderators. But even on the first question, ‘are you better off than you were four years ago?,’ Trump could not land a punch,” said Strategas. “He failed to do so,” they added.
The firm’s report points out that Harris, though evasive and vague at times, managed to introduce herself to voters “on her own terms.”
However, the state her performance was not without flaws, as her policy agenda remains unclear.
Still, Strategas believe Harris was able to set “trap after trap,” and that Trump “took the bait every time,” leaving him focused on marginal issues rather than mounting a substantial argument.
Even so, Strategas says Trump “imploded in his first 2020 debate and came back from that.”
With Harris having successfully framed the race as a choice rather than a referendum, her campaign will likely face little difficulty in energizing its voter base early.
“Last night was not a fait accompli. Undecided voters may not have been paying attention. But the race is close and changes on the margin matter,” concluded Strategas.
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