House Republicans are bemoaning former President Trump’s performance in the first — and potentially only — debate against Vice President Harris, acknowledging that the Democratic nominee successfully got under her GOP opponent’s skin.
Several times throughout the more than 90-minute debate in Philadelphia, Harris appeared to try and bait Trump with attacks on matters that hit close to home — the size of his rallies, the magnitude of his family fortune and world leaders “laughing” at him — in an effort to thwart his composed posture. Some House Republicans say she succeeded.
“I’m just sad,” one House Republican who is supportive of Trump told The Hill. “She knew exactly where to cut to get under his skin. Just overall disappointing that he isn’t being more composed like the first debate.”
“The road just got very narrow,” they added. “This is not good.”
A second House Republican, who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive topic, said “many” in the GOP conference were “disappointed” that Trump could not stay on message throughout the debate.
“She talks to us like toddlers but is doing a good job provoking him. He [is] right on policy but can’t keep to a message,” the lawmaker said. “Many are disappointed he couldn’t stay focused or land a punch. Not sure much changes but it wasn’t a good performance.”
“Lots of missed opportunities so far,” a third House Republican told The Hill in a text message during the debate. “It’s not devastating – but it’s not good.”
Thursday night’s debate was a pivotal moment in the 2024 election cycle, marking the first time Trump and Harris had met in person and the first head-to-head matchup between the two nominees.
Trump, for his part, said he believed he put on a strong performance. The former president told Fox News’s Sean Hannity after the event “I had a good time, I think it was our best debate ever,” before tearing into the moderators, ABC News’s David Muir and Linsey Davis.
“We had three against one,” Trump said.
A number of his supporters on Capitol Hill echoed that sentiment. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), for example, wrote on X: “Trump doing very well & he is right on policy but this debate is skewed!” and House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) dubbed his performance “strong.”
But in a sign of potential concern within the campaign, Trump appeared in the spin room after the debate to deliver the same positive message to reporters, an unconventional move for a major-party candidate. And he is now balking at the idea of a second debate.
The Harris campaign called for another presidential debate against Trump almost immediately after the first one concluded. Trump, however, said his team would take the prospect under consideration.
“She wants to do another one because she was beaten tonight. I don’t know if we’re going to do another one,” Trump said in the spin room. “She wants a second debate because she lost tonight, very badly… we’ll think about that.”
While Trump kept a positive face publicly, some House Republicans are privately conceding that the former president’s performance could have been stronger.
A fourth House Republican railed against ABC News and Harris for their performances Tuesday night, criticizing the moderators for not fact checking Harris and calling the Democratic nominee “extremely scripted.” But the lawmaker also said Trump’s showing suffered “missed opportunities.”
“I think he is all over the map and has missed opportunities to hammer her record,” the House Republican said. “He’s made strong points on the economy, immigration, and foreign policy, but it’s been disjointed at times.”
“Rough start,” said a fifth House Republican. “Moderators could be better.”
The attempts by Harris to bait Trump during the debate emerged as some of the most memorable moments of the evening’s event, with Trump appearing to become agitated by her comments.
At one point, Harris invited viewers to attend one of Trump’s rallies, claiming that attendees leave early “out of exhaustion and boredom.” The comment appeared to strike a nerve with Trump, who responded “we have the biggest rallies, the most incredible rallies in the history of politics,” before citing a conspiracy theory that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are eating pets.
The false allegations drew national headlines after Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), the former president’s running mate, amplified the incorrect claim on X. The tangent by Trump prompted a fact check by Muir.
“The rally stuff we didn’t need,” the fifth House Republican told The Hill.
A sixth House Republican told The Hill that they were unable to watch the debate because they had a fundraiser, but the commentary was not positive.
“I didn’t watch it but I’m not hearing anything good from it,” the GOP lawmaker said.
House Democrats, meanwhile, were eager to laud their nominee, basking in what they deemed a positive performance that followed a rollercoaster few months for the party after President Biden stepped down and Harris ascended to the top of the ticket. But they were also sure to take a jab at Trump.
“Probably the most one-sided debate victory I have ever seen,” one House Democrat told The Hill. “Trump is so much more unhinged and incoherent than I thought he would be, and she is poised, strong, and Pitch Perfect.”
“I’m proud of her. I stand with her,” echoed a second House Democrat. “She makes sense. And he’s nuts.”