The expected one debate between Kamala Harris y Donald Trump marked a new chapter in the US presidential race. In an exchange full of personal attacks and tough questions, Harris, current Vice President and Democratic candidate, managed to stand out by to corner on several occasions to former president.
For José Luis Valdés Ugalde, a researcher at the Center for Research on North America (CISAN), “Kamala Harris was a bit nervous at the beginning.” However, he stressed that “she won the rest of the debate.” In an interview with 24 HORAS, he said that the vice president adopted “an offensive strategy that destabilized Trump,” who “focused on attacking the Biden administration instead of offering concrete proposals.”
According to the expert, the Democratic candidate stood out from her rival because she “presented proposals on important issues such as small businesses and economic growth.” These proposals positioned her favorably, even though the tycoon tried to redirect the debate towards controversial issues such as migration, even making incendiary statements about migrants, which, in the words of the researcher, put the Democrat “in a favorable position.”
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For undecided voters
The debate was also an opportunity for the former California senator to capture the vote of undecided voters, a key group in the race. According to Valdés, “some conservative voters who were hesitant about the former president due to his extremist positions could lean towards Harris.” Although, she added that the candidate was more conservative on issues such as immigration, which could have caused some distrust in sectors that expected a more progressive stance.
One of the most controversial moments was when the Democrat avoided answering questions directly about fracking. Valdés believes that this type of evasion could harm her, but not enough to seriously affect her campaign. “Her values remain the same, and she has achieved a more relevant role in American politics,” she said.
Trump’s Perspectives and Strategy
Asked about the possibility of the Republican candidate changing his strategy in future debates, the researcher was skeptical. “Trump deals with personal attacks and direct aggression,” he said. He added that, even if the former president tried to modify his approach, “his proposals lack substance,” which makes it difficult to significantly improve his discourse.
On international policy issues, such as the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, Valdés described the New York businessman’s statements as “grandiloquent,” criticizing his lack of depth in concrete proposals.
The impact of support
The support of public figures has a considerable impact on the Democratic candidate’s campaign, especially the recent endorsement of Taylor Swift. According to Valdés, this type of support will help her attract young voters, an important sector in elections.
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For his part, the 78-year-old Republican candidate, who declared himself the winner of the debate on social media, has the support of Elon Musk. Although Musk could give him a certain boost on social media, Valdés believes that “Trump’s extreme positions could reduce the influence of this support in more moderate sectors.”
Tuesday’s debate made it clear that Kamala Harris is prepared to take on the former president in the political arena, with a strategy that combines substantive proposals and a combative stance. However, both Harris and Trump face the challenge of capturing the votes of the undecided, who could be decisive in the 2024 presidential election. With a possible second debate on the horizon, the race is far from over.
CSAS
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2024-09-17 12:39:25