Former President and Republican nominee Donald Trump will face Vice President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in what could be a campaign-turning debate on Tuesday in a tight presidential race.
With nearly every poll within the margin of error and swing states threatening to be decided by just a handful of votes, the stakes are high as Harris introduces herself to a good portion of the electorate and lays out her agenda, while Trump tries to convince voters that he deserves another term after being voted out in 2020.
At 78, Trump is mounting his third run for the Oval Office as the oldest presidential candidate in history.
Voters already have seen how a debate can change the course of history: After a dismal debate performance against Trump in June, President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris, who has electrified the Democratic base and built a coalition that includes many independents and Republicans while erasing a substantial lead Trump had held on Biden.
Still, the race is neck-and-neck and, with less than two months remaining until election day, could swing either way, depending on the debate.
How to watch the debate
The debate, which will take place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and air on ABC, will be moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis. The debate will start at 9 p.m. Eastern and last for 90 minutes with two commercial breaks.
Viewers can watch without cable via livestream on Disney+ and Hulu.
Also:
— NBC News will stream the debate at NBCNews.com and on the NBC News app. You can also watch for free on NBC News Now via YouTube and Samsung TV Plus.
— PBS News will livestream on its PBS News YouTube channel.
— The UK’s Sky News will stream on its YouTube account.
— Fox News will stream live via its YouTube account.
Some networks will also be streaming live on their social media accounts such as Facebook, TikTok or X.
What are the rules?
After some haggling between the Harris and Trump campaigns and ABC News, both campaigns have agreed to the rules.
The debate will begin immediately with questions. There will be no opening statements. The candidates will be given time for a two-minute closing statement.
Like the June debate, there will be no audience.
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