Three Charts Show Why Kamala Harris Won the Debate

Presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump went head-to-head in a fiery televised debate on Tuesday.

Harris received a positive reception following the debate, with a flash poll by CNN and a Fox News post-debate voter panel saying she came out ahead. Her odds of victory in November also jumped with more than 20 leading bookmakers.

A poll by YouGov, released following the debate, found that more voters saw Harris as the winner (54 percent of respondents favored Harris and 31 percent Trump), and it has shed light on why many feel Harris emerged victorious.

Newsweek has contacted the Harris and Trump campaigns for comment via email outside of normal working hours.

Harris Laid Out a Clearer Plan

More respondents to YouGov’s survey believed Harris laid out a clearer plan that Trump.

Among all registered voters, 46 percent said Harris, 32 percent said Trump, and 21 percent were unsure.

With Democrat voters, 84 percent said Harris and 5 percent said Trump.

On the other hand, 69 percent of Republican voters said Trump laid out a clearer plan for what he will do if elected, and just 11 percent said the same of Harris.

Among independent voters, 40 percent said Harris and 28 percent said Trump, but 32 percent said they were unsure.

Harris ‘Lied’ or ‘Exaggerated’ Less Than Trump

Respondents overall were more likely to believe that Trump told more lies or exaggerations than his Democratic rival – 48 percent said Trump and 33 said Harris.

Independent voters also said Trump was more likely. Nearly half (48 percent) said Trump, and 28 percent said Harris.

Trump Spent More Time Attacking Harris

Respondents were also asked which candidate they believed spent more time attacking their opponent or explaining that they will do if elected.

For Harris, 35 percent of registered voters said she spent more time attacking Trump, while 52 percent said Trump spent more time attacking Harris.

Additionally, 42 percent said Harris spent more time explaining what she would do if elected, and 28 percent said this of Trump.

Most Viewers Thought Moderators Were Fair

The largest portion of registered voters thought the moderators were fair, as did Democrat voters, but not Republican voters.

Among all respondents, 43 percent said they were fair and unbiased, with 29 percent saying there was a bias in favor of Harris – just 4 percent said there was a bias in favor of Trump.

With Democrat voters, 71 percent thought the debate was fairly moderated.

Only 18 percent of Republican voters thought the moderators were fair, and more than half (55 percent) believed there was bias against Trump.

Following the debate, Trump blasted ABC hosts David Muir and Linsey Davis on his social media platform Truth Social, writing: “I wasn’t debating one person, I was debating three.”

When previously contacted for comment regarding Trump’s debate performance, Newsweek was provided the following statement from senior Trump advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles: “President Trump delivered a masterful debate performance tonight, prosecuting Kamala Harris’ abysmal record of failure that has hurt Americans for the last four years.

“We saw President Trump lay out his bold vision of America and how he would continue to build upon the successes of his first term by supercharging the economy, securing the border, and stopping crime from ravaging communities across the country.

“Conversely, Kamala’s vision of America was a dark reminder of the oppressive, big government policies of Joe Biden that she wants to continue. High inflation, a porous border that allows criminals and terrorists to flood across, and being soft on crime—that is what Kamala represents.

“The choice could not be more clear—President Trump was the clear winner tonight, and he will win for America when he returns to the White House.”

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