Harris, Trump face off for 1st time in debate

Vital battleground

Pennsylvania is one of the key battleground states that could significantly impact the election. Surveys of the key battleground states show that Trump and Harris are within a few points of each other and the polls' margins of error.

Presidential debates do not necessarily change voters' minds, but they can be deeply consequential. In a contest that could again come down to tens of thousands of votes in a handful of states, even a small shift in public opinion could alter the outcome. The two candidates are effectively tied in the seven battleground states likely to decide the election, according to polling averages compiled by The New York Times.

PredictIt's 2024 presidential general election market showed Trump's likelihood of victory declining during the debate, to 47 percent from 52 percent. Harris' odds improved to 55 percent from 53 percent.

Reuters interviewed 10 people who were still unsure how they were going to vote in the Nov 5 election before they watched the debate.

Six said afterward they would now either vote for Trump or were leaning toward backing him. Three said they would now back Harris and one was still unsure how he would vote.

After the debate, shares of Trump's company that owns Truth Social slumped 15 percent in premarket trading on Wednesday.

Xinhua-Agencies