House Republicans bemoan Trump debate performance: �Not good�

House Republicans are bemoaning former President Trump�s performance in
the first � and potentially only � debate against Vice President Harris,
acknowledging that the Democratic nominee successfully got under her GOP
opponent�s skin.

Several times throughout the more than 90-minute debate in Philadelphia,
Harris appeared to try to bait Trump with attacks on matters that hit
close to home � the size of his rallies, the magnitude of his family
fortune, world leaders �laughing� at him � in an effort to thwart his
composed posture. Some House Republicans say she succeeded.

�I�m just sad,� one House Republican who is supportive of Trump told The
Hill. �She knew exactly where to cut to get under his skin. Just overall
disappointing that he isn�t being more composed like the first debate.�

�The road just got very narrow,� they added. �This is not good.�

A second House Republican, who requested anonymity to discuss the
sensitive topic, said �many� in the GOP conference were �disappointed�
that Trump could not stay on message throughout the debate.

�She talks to us like toddlers but is doing a good job provoking him. He
[is] right on policy but can�t keep to a message,� the lawmaker said.
�Many are disappointed he couldn�t stay focused or land a punch. Not sure
much changes but it wasn�t a good performance.�

�Lots of missed opportunities so far,� a third House Republican told The
Hill in a text message during the debate. �It�s not devastating � but
it�s not good.�

Tuesday night�s debate was a pivotal moment in the 2024 election cycle,
marking the first time Trump and Harris had met in person and the first
head-to-head match-up between the two nominees.

Trump, for his part, said he believed he put on a strong performance. The
former president told Fox News�s Sean Hannity after the event, �I had a
good time, I think it was our best debate ever,� before tearing into the
moderators, ABC News�s David Muir and Linsey Davis.

�We had three against one,� Trump said.

A number of his supporters on Capitol Hill echoed that sentiment. Rep.
Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), for example, wrote on the social platform X,
�Trump doing very well & he is right on policy but this debate is
skewed!� Meanwhile, House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik
(N.Y.) dubbed his performance �strong.�

But in a sign of potential concern within the campaign, Trump appeared in
the spin room after the debate to deliver the same positive message to
reporters, an unconventional move for a major-party candidate. And he is
now balking at the idea of a second debate.

The Harris campaign called for another presidential debate against Trump
almost immediately after the first one concluded. Trump, however, said
his team would take the prospect under consideration.

�She wants to do another one because she was beaten tonight. I don�t know
if we�re going to do another one,� Trump said in the spin room. �She
wants a second debate because she lost tonight, very badly. � We�ll think
about that.�

While Trump kept a positive face publicly, some House Republicans are
privately conceding that the former president�s performance could have
been stronger.

�I think he is all over the map and has missed opportunities to hammer
her record,� the House Republican said. �He�s made strong points on the
economy, immigration, and foreign policy, but it�s been disjointed at
times.�

�Rough start,� said a fifth House Republican. �Moderators could be
better.�

The attempts by Harris to bait Trump during the debate emerged as some of
the most memorable moments of the evening�s event, with Trump appearing
to become agitated by her comments.

At one point, Harris invited viewers to attend one of Trump�s rallies,
claiming that attendees leave early �out of exhaustion and boredom.� The
comment appeared to strike a nerve with Trump, who responded �we have the
biggest rallies, the most incredible rallies in the history of politics,�
before citing a conspiracy theory that Haitian immigrants in Springfield,
Ohio, are eating pets.

The false allegations drew national headlines earlier this week when Sen.
JD Vance (R-Ohio), the former president�s running mate, amplified the
incorrect claim on X. The tangent by Trump prompted a fact check by Muir.

�The rally stuff we didn�t need,� the fifth House Republican told The
Hill.

A sixth House Republican told The Hill that they were unable to watch the
debate because they had a fundraiser, but the commentary was not
positive.

�I didn�t watch it but I�m not hearing anything good from it,� the GOP
lawmaker said.

House Democrats, meanwhile, were eager to laud their nominee, basking in
what they deemed a positive performance that followed a roller-coaster
few months for the party after President Biden stepped down and Harris
ascended to the top of the ticket. But they were also sure to take a jab
at Trump.

�Probably the most one-sided debate victory I have ever seen,� one House
Democrat told The Hill. �Trump is so much more unhinged and incoherent
than I thought he would be, and she is poised, strong, and Pitch
Perfect.�

�I�m proud of her. I stand with her,� echoed a second House Democrat.
�She makes sense. And he�s nuts.�