Kamala Harris emerged as the clear victor on Tuesday night with a commanding performance in her debate against Donald Trump. It was also a successful evening for Democratic leaders who supported her campaign, as well as the moderators from ABC News.

In contrast, Trump found himself repeatedly on the back foot, struggling to counter Harris effectively. President Joe Biden faced criticism as well, along with the controversial Project 2025 created by the Heritage Foundation.

Below is a summary of the key winners and losers from the Trump-Harris debate held in Philadelphia.

Winners

Kamala Harris

The Vice President approached the debate with the intent to provoke Trump, and she largely succeeded. Harris evoked heated responses from him, addressing issues like his rally attendance and the January 6 Capitol riot. She strategically dominated the debate’s topics, consistently pushing Trump to respond to her critiques of his record. Under the intense spotlight, Harris proved her capabilities with a confident performance that could generate ongoing support for her campaign. By the end of the evening, she secured a notable celebrity endorsement from Taylor Swift.

Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Leaders

The decision to push Biden out of the presidential race was challenging and potentially divisive for Democrats, but Harris’ debate performance validated that move. It highlighted the advantages of having a candidate with a clearer and more assertive message than Biden. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi played a critical role in this transition and is now seen as having made a wise decision, as are other Democratic leaders in Congress who encouraged Biden to step aside.

Debate Moderators

Fact-checking in real time during a debate is quite challenging, yet ABC News moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis managed it effectively. They provided calm and firm corrections to Trump’s statements regarding abortion, crime, and immigration without becoming overly confrontational and disrupting the flow of the debate. Given Trump’s tendency to challenge moderators, some may have been frustrated by the frequent fact-checking. Nevertheless, Muir and Davis made sure to deliver accurate information to millions of viewers.

Policy Discussions

During the debate, there were significant concerns over how much Trump would focus on policy versus personal attacks on Harris. However, the discussion included substantial content. Trump refrained from addressing prior comments where he questioned Harris’ racial background when prompted by the moderators. Instead, the debate explored the candidates’ stances on various issues such as abortion, economic policies, and foreign relations. Trump shared his perspectives on his policy initiatives.

During the recent political discussions, proposals were made concerning tariffs, tax reductions, and immigration policies. Harris emphasized the importance of reinstating abortion rights that were previously established under the now-reversed Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling. While not much new information emerged for those closely following the campaign, this could serve to clarify the candidates’ positions for those less engaged with the race.

Losers

Trump

Since Harris announced her candidacy, Trump has faced pressure from his supporters to concentrate on policies rather than resorting to personal insults. Many Republicans believe that Harris is particularly vulnerable on economic matters and inflation. Although Trump attempted to highlight his main topics—economy and immigration—during Tuesday’s debate, he found himself straying from his points and reacting defensively to Harris’s critiques. He spent significant portions of the debate defending himself against her remarks regarding his rallies, his reaction to the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, his standing among foreign leaders, and other attacks. His remarks tended to be overly emotional, disorganized, and meandered away from a favorable political stance.

Joe Biden

The current president, who withdrew his reelection efforts due to party pressure, remains a target for criticism from Republicans, including Trump, who condemned his record during the debate. While Harris often defended Biden’s policies, she also sought to differentiate herself from him, especially as surveys indicate diminishing approval ratings for his handling of economic issues and more. “Just remember, she is Biden,” Trump remarked at one point, to which Harris retorted, “I am not Joe Biden, and I certainly am not Donald Trump.” She then shifted focus to presenting her own policy proposals in an attempt to distance herself from the current administration.

Heritage Foundation and Project 2025

The well-known conservative think tank has caused notable concern for Trump this election cycle by outlining various policy suggestions for a prospective second Trump term that may cause hesitation among voters. Their proposals advocate for a major overhaul of the federal government, including easing the process for dismissing civil servants and abolishing the Departments of Education and Commerce. There are also suggestions to prohibit pornography and assert that marriage ought to be “biblically based,” which could imply a challenge to same-sex marriage rights. Harris brought up Project 2025 early in the debate, resulting in Trump disowning it, as he has in the past. “I have no connections to Project 2025,” he stated, even though many close associates were instrumental in developing its framework.

Reactions from Election Deniers

Former President Trump, who has previously claimed that the 2020 election was fraudulent, has recently faced backlash from his supporters after suggesting a different narrative. He stated that he “lost by a whisker.” When questioned about his remarks on Tuesday, Trump insisted he was being sarcastic, while still alleging there were issues with the election and claiming, “there’s so much proof.” However, he showed little willingness to defend his fraudulent election claims for long. “You know what? That doesn’t matter because we need to address the issues we’re facing now,” Trump remarked, adding, “That’s old news.”