Northwestern experts on first debate between Harris and Trump in Philadelphia
“Debates tend to matter the most when there is an unexpected outcome,” says political scientist
EVANSTON, Ill. --- Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump will face off in their first televised debate on Tuesday in Philadelphia.
“Kamala Harris has to leverage her prosecutorial skill set to rattle Trump and force him to lose his cool,” says Northwestern political science professor Jaime Dominguez.
Dominguez, along with the following professors from political science and law, are available to comment on the debate.
Tabitha Bonilla is an associate professor of human development and social policy. She studies political behavior and communication with a focus on campaign promises, political messaging, political representation and voting behavior. She can be reached at tabitha.bonilla@northwestern.edu or by calling Stephanie Kulke at 847-491-4819.
Quote from Professor Bonilla
“Debates tend to matter the most when there is an unexpected outcome — for instance Biden's performance against Trump in the last debate. Even though the Harris campaign is just over a month old, I do not expect that we will see much new from her campaign at this point. Harris, as a former prosecutor, is quick on her feet and likely to point out inconsistencies from Trump, such as his recent response to supporting an abortion amendment in Florida. Trump has attacked the fairness of the candidate change, Harris’s identity and her former work as a prosecutor, and I expect we will see these types of attacks peppered throughout his debate performance. There will likely not be anything new for voters to hear, but the debates may provide an opportunity for voters who have not had a chance to pay attention to all the campaign changes over the last month.”
Jaime Dominguez is an associate professor of instruction, political science. He studies urban politics, race, ethnic and Latino and Chicago politics, as well as the politics of immigration integration. He can be reached at j-dominguez@northwestern.edu or by calling Stephanie Kulke at 847-491-4819.
Quote from Professor Dominguez
“Kamala Harris has to leverage her prosecutorial skill set to rattle Trump and force him to lose his cool. Harris needs to make clear her vision for a more prosperous America. Specifically, how she will continue to build on a more inclusive economy and prioritize job growth. More importantly, reproductive rights will be front-and-center, and she has to show swing/undecided voters, especially suburban women, that choice on this issue is the freedom most Americans want.”
Mary McGrath is an assistant professor of political science. Her research focuses on political decision making and behavior, partisanship and polarization. She can be reached at mary.mcgrath@northwestern.edu or by calling Stephanie Kulke at 847-491-4819.
Jason DeSanto is a senior lecturer at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. He teaches courses at the intersection of law and public policy, first amendment law and persuasion and leadership. His expertise is in campaign messaging, debates and political speeches. He can be reached at j-desanto@law.northwestern.edu or by reaching Shanice Harris at shanice.harris@northwestern.edu or 847-467-5498.