The first debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris left many Republicans feeling less than enthusiastic, according to an account reported by The Post. Held in Pittsburgh’s Steel Mill Saloon, a venue filled with swing-state Republicans and Trump supporters were surprised when the confident laughter at the beginning of the night turned into laments and silence as they watched Trump’s performance against Harris.
Erin Koper, one of those present, told The Post that she didn’t think either side did exceptionally well. She felt that Kamala “did better than my expectation” and managed to find her comfort zone during the debate. Sam DeMarco, Allegheny County GOP chair and county councilman, expressed a similar sentiment, stating that he felt it was more of a loss for Trump rather than a win.
DeMarco criticized numerous lost opportunities where Trump could have held Harris accountable on various topics, such as the border and immigration. He accused Trump of being “overconfident” during the debate.
Another attendee, Ken Roberts, pointed out another missed opportunity when Trump did not ask Harris about her knowledge regarding the president’s incapacitation. Despite this perceived lack of effort from Trump’s side, he still believed that the election was Trump’s to lose and that the debate would not sway voters significantly in favor of Harris.
However, some attendees were less certain about their predictions for the election. Todd Bray, a retired airline pilot, felt that Harris appeared more knowledgeable and better prepared than expected during the debate. He stated that “Kamala may have changed a few people’s opinions.
Mike Hallowran, an analyst at regional grocery chain Giant Eagle, expressed mixed feelings after the debate. He told The Post that Trump lost but Harris did not necessarily win the night. Before the debate, Hallowran predicted that Harris would “cackle” when given the chance to speak, which he thought was why she was kept hidden from the public eye. However, by the end of the night, he echoed Kamala’s slogans about moving forward and not going back and wished Trump would stop questioning the 2020 election results.
As the debate progressed, some attendees started looking down at their phones when Trump discussed his role in the January 6 Capitol riot. The bar went silent during this portion of the discussion. However, one attendee cheered when Trump mentioned that police killed Ashli Babbitt during the riots but no one “on the other side” was killed.
When questioned about Trump’s divisive nature by David Muir from ABC News, James Hayes, a Republican running to unseat Pittsburgh Squad member Rep. Summer Lee, responded that he didn’t care about the issue and emphasized that “a lot of the identity politics comes out of the Democratic Party.
Overall, the reactions in the room seemed to be mixed, with some feeling that Trump had lost the debate while others still believed he could win the election. The debate may have left some Republicans feeling less certain about their predictions for the election outcome, as they watched Trump’s performance and considered his strategy moving forward.
