Some Undecided Voters Not Convinced by Harris After Debate with Trump

By Helen Coster and Tim Reid

Kamala Harris was perceived as having a strong performance during the presidential debate against former President Donald Trump. However, a group of undecided voters remained uncertain about whether she was the superior candidate.

In interviews with ten undecided voters prior to the debate, six indicated that they were now either planning to vote for Trump or were leaning in that direction. Three expressed their intention to support Harris, while one voter remained undecided.

With the election approaching on November 5, Harris and Trump are facing a competitive race that may be decided by just a few tens of thousands of votes in critical battleground states. Many of these voters represent the swing demographic, similar to those interviewed.

Although the sample size was limited, the responses indicated that Harris may need to offer more detailed policy proposals to appeal to those who have yet to decide. Five voters mentioned that they found her to be vague during the lengthy debate, particularly regarding her plans for improving the U.S. economy and addressing the rising cost of living, which is a pressing concern for many voters.

This debate was crucial for Harris, particularly in light of a recent poll indicating that a significant portion of likely voters feel they do not know enough about her, especially compared to Trump, who is a more familiar figure.

The voters who were shifting their support to Trump stated that they had more confidence in him regarding economic issues, even though they expressed a personal dislike for him. They noted that their financial situations had been better during his presidency from 2017 to 2021, with some highlighting his proposal to impose taxes on foreign imports, which economists warn could lead to increased prices.

Additionally, four of the six Trump supporters felt that Harris did not convince them she would implement different economic policies from those of President Joe Biden, whom they generally hold responsible for the current economic difficulties.

"I still don’t know what she stands for," remarked Mark Kadish, a 61-year-old entrepreneur in Florida. "There was no substantial detail in her plans."

Of those interviewed, four were women and six were men, with eight identifying as white and two as Black. All had previously voted for both Democratic and Republican candidates.

While Harris did mention some specific policy ideas, including tax benefits for families and small businesses, much of her debate strategy focused on critiquing Trump rather than elaborating on her own proposals.

Robert Wheeler, a 48-year-old security firm executive from Nevada, was initially leaning toward Harris but stated that if the election were held today, he would vote for Trump due to a lack of clarity on her policies.

"I felt like the whole debate was Kamala Harris explaining why I shouldn’t vote for Donald Trump instead of telling me why she’s the right candidate," Wheeler reflected.

Conversely, Meredith Marshall, a self-employed individual from Los Angeles, expressed her newfound support for Harris. Although she desired more emphasis on economic issues from the vice president, she appreciated her strategy to assist small business owners.