Donald Trump believes it is “too late” to hold another debate, as early voting began before the November 5 election.
Kamala Harris has challenged Donald Trump to a second debate ahead of the US presidential election, saying she would “gladly accept” to meet again face to face against the former president.
In a statement released Saturday, Harris campaign spokeswoman Jen O’Malley said the vice president had accepted CNN’s invitation to a debate on October 23.
“We hope that Vice President Harris will have another opportunity in the CNN debate to demonstrate her command of the issues and why it is time to turn the page on Donald Trump and chart a new course for America,” O’Malley said.
More than 67 million people watched the show until the first Harris-Trump confrontation on September 10, which saw the two candidates exchange barbs on immigration, foreign policy and other issues.
Most Observers crowned Harris the winner of this debate, as she appeared to disrupt Trump several times throughout the evening.
I would gladly accept a second presidential debate on October 23.
I hope @realDonaldTrump will join me. https://t.co/Trb8HUBsDh
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) September 21, 2024
Trump had published on his Truth Social media platform earlier this month: “THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!”
Trump echoed those comments at a campaign rally in North Carolina on Saturday, saying it was “too late” to set up another showdown with Harris.
“The problem with another debate is that it’s too late, the voting has already started,” he said, as reported by US media.
Although election day is November 5, early voting began this week in some U.S. states.
In 2020, the final presidential debate before the election took place on October 22. Four years earlier, when Trump faced Democrat Hillary Clinton, the third and final presidential debate took place on October 19.
CNN said the proposed debate on October 23 would mirror the format of an outfit in june between Trump and Democrat Joe Biden.
Biden’s poor performance in that debate raised questions about his age and ability to serve another term, and weeks later he dropped out of the 2024 race.
“Vice President Harris and former President Trump have both received an invitation to participate in a debate on CNN this fall because we believe the American people would benefit from a second debate between the two candidates for President of the United States,” CNN said in a statement.
“We look forward to hearing from both campaigns so that the American public can learn more about these candidates before making their final decision.”
Tight race
Most polls show Trump and Harris in a tight race heading into the next vote, particularly in key battleground states that will be critical to winning the White House.
According to a New York Times Poll TrackerAs of Saturday, Harris held a slight lead of 49% of the national vote, compared to Trump’s 47%.
It is unclear whether the debates have any real effect on presidential campaigns, with most experts saying the impact is minimal.
Still, Elaine Kamarck and William A Galston, election experts at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington, DC, said the Harris-Trump debate in September appeared “likely to give Harris’s sales a boost.”
“Whether that will be enough to propel her to victory in the Electoral College remains to be seen. But her campaign and supporters are leaving the debate with renewed energy and hope,” they wrote.
“On the other hand, Trump’s campaign team must consider the likelihood that its candidate’s performance will please his electoral base without rallying many new supporters to his cause.”