(NewsNation) —The country’s eyes are turning to the city of brotherly love as Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump prepare to square off Tuesday in their first presidential debate in Philadelphia.
Both White House contenders hope to set themselves apart in an extremely close race. Recent polling from The New York Times shows both candidates in a neck and neck race in several key swing states with eight weeks until election day.
National averages from Decision Desk HQ/The Hill show Harris polling at 49.4% and Trump at 46.2%.
Ninety minutes on the debate stage could make or break a campaign. President Joe Biden dropped out of the race following his performance at the most recent debate with Trump in June. The fallout emphasizes the stakes riding on the candidates’ performances Tuesday — the first time they’ll take the stage opposite one another.
How are Trump, Harris preparing for the debate?
Harris watched some clips of Donald Trump’s previous presidential debates, a source with knowledge of her debate prep told NewsNation. The debate team watched all of them, the source added.
At Tuesday night’s debate, Harris will try to emphasize the future and is expected to try to talk as much as she can in the future tense, according to a different source with knowledge of the preparations. Harris is expected to focus on her values and to try to draw a contrast with Trump’s.
Although she has been vice president for more than three years, she is expected to talk about the need to turn the page on the divisiveness of the past and try to cast herself as the candidate of change. Viewers can expect to hear a version of this remark she said Saturday: “It’s time to turn the page on the divisiveness. It’s time to bring our country together. Chart a new way forward.”
But her challenge is evident in the polls. Sixty-one percent of the respondents in the most recent NYT/Siena poll said they thought Trump represented change versus actions staying the same, while 40% said Harris exemplified change.
Meanwhile, Trump reportedly tapped former Democratic Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to help with preparation. Gabbard previously took aim at Harris during a presidential primary debate in 2019.
What will voters watch for?
Thirty percent of registered voters say the debate will help them decide who to vote for in November, according to an NPR/PBS News/Marist poll.
Voters say they hope the debate is informative, constructive and leads to a productive conversation.
“I expect there to be a little bit of animosity coming from both sides,” said Pennsylvania voter Christine Tassoni. “But hopefully some explanations on their intentions on what they have in store if they get elected.”
On a national scale, voters are worried about the issues that affect them every day, including how they’ll put gas in their tanks and whether basic goods will become more affordable.
About 8 in 10 registered voters said the economy is a top issue informing their vote, a separate Pew Research Center survey found.