From WSJ

WASHINGTON—Many undecided voters were hoping the debate Tuesday night between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump would help guide them on how to cast their ballots.

In interviews with The Wall Street Journal, a handful of voters in battleground states broadly agreed that Trump appeared rattled by Harris, who repeatedly goaded him into veering off course, including by saying that some people got bored at his rallies and left early.

Yet most said the debate didn’t shake their previously held notions about Trump and Harris and where they stand on issues such as the economy, immigration and conflicts overseas.

Here is a sampling of what the voters said about the debate and whether it will factor into their decisions at the polls:

Sabrina Champ

Age: 47

Occupation: Unemployed

Residence: Arizona

Self-described political affiliation:Independent

2020 vote: Wrote in Bernie Sanders

2024 vote: Leaning Trump

Who won debate: No one

Champ said her first preference would be to vote for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in November. She found herself disappointed in what both Trump and Harris had to offer Tuesday night.

“She baited him and he fell for it. That was disappointing,” Champ said. “But as far as Kamala is concerned, I didn’t see a lot of policy. She seemed to dodge some of the major questions or go back to rebutting whatever Trump just said.”

Champ said she spent the hours before the debate traveling between food banks searching for assistance for her and her sons. While she is unconvinced that either major party has a plan to improve her economic well-being, Kennedy’s endorsement of Trump and potential role in his administration are making Champ lean toward casting her ballot for the former president.

“They both seemed very rehearsed,” she said of Trump and Harris. “What choice do we really have at this point?”

Jessica Maldet

Age: 40

Occupation: Behavioral specialist

Residence: Erie, Pa.

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Self-described political affiliation: Democrat 

2020 vote: Biden

2024 vote: Undecided

Who won debate: Harris

Although she voted for Biden in 2020, Jessica Maldet has been undecided about whether to vote for Trump or Harris in November. The debate did little to change her perception of either candidate.

While Maldet, a single mother, appreciated some of Harris’s economic proposals aimed at helping families, she questioned the feasibility and cost of enacting such policies. “I wish we could go back to a place where we felt financially safe,” she said. “I struggle to even figure out how I’m going to make ends meet and what college will look like for my children.”

Maldet has found herself more drawn to Republicans this election cycle and thinks Trump would be stronger than Harris on some of her priorities, including the need to show strong support for Israel. When Harris reiterated her call for a cease-fire in Gaza and a two-state solution during the debate, Maldet felt the vice president was ignoring the role played by Hamas in the conflict and its potential future role in the region.

She also voiced frustration with Trump’s ability to stay on message: “When Donald Trump starts talking about Haitians eating people’s dogs, I don’t even know what to do,” she said.

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Kevin Walsh Sr. 

Age: 66

Occupation: Retired

Residence: Drums, Pa.

Self-described political affiliation: Democrat

2020 vote: Trump

2024 vote: Trump

Who won debate: Harris

Kevin Walsh Sr. voted for Trump in the previous presidential election but was interested in learning more about Harris and her plans for the economy and immigration. He voted for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016 and wanted to keep an open mind on Harris, but was left frustrated. He said that she often pivoted to attacking Trump rather than directly answering questions about why she had changed her stance on issues or if she felt voters were better off than they were four years ago.

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“I don’t think Trump did very well. I expected more out of him,” Walsh said. “But she didn’t give me any information that I didn’t already have. It was frustrating to me as a voter.”

He added that although Trump appeared to be flustered by Harris, he still planned to vote for the former president. He cited inflation and the cost of living as concerns.

“You know what you’re getting with Trump,” Walsh said. “He’s a known commodity.” Of Harris, he said: “I don’t know what I’m getting with her.”

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Kendra Clark

Age: 36

Occupation: Paralegal

Residence: Savannah, Ga.

Self-described political affiliation:Independent

2020 vote: Biden

2024 vote: Leaning Harris

Who won debate: Harris

Clark had no plans to vote for Biden if he were still on the Democratic ticket, despite supporting him in the last election, in part because of his handling of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. She had hoped to be persuaded that Harris might take a tougher approach to Israel as the Democratic nominee but came away disappointed with her comments on the debate stage, which she saw as a continuation of current administration policy.

“We’re going to keep giving them weapons regardless of what they do,” Clark said. She compared Harris’s stance on Israel with her comments about upholding international law amid Russia’s war in Ukraine. “Do we not also uphold international law when it’s Israel committing the atrocities?” she said.

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Still, Clark felt the vice president did well taking on Trump and counts herself as “a hesitant yes” in favor of voting for Harris. She appreciated that Harris turned a question on Trump’s comments about her identity as a Black woman into an indictment of his record on race.

Drew McMonagle

Age: 29

Occupation: Lawyer

Residence: Philadelphia

Self-described political affiliation: Democrat

2020 vote: Biden

2024 vote: Undecided

Who won debate: Harris

McMonagle was more inclined to vote for Trump before the debate but could now see himself voting for Harris. Still, he remains undecided in part because he didn’t get a clear sense from either candidate about what specific policies they would enact if elected.

“There was nothing substantive, nothing new,” McMonagle said. “Trump definitely got worked by Harris…but I would really like to hear what plan she actually has.”

McMonagle said that despite living alone, he pays $100 every other week for groceries. So he appreciated Harris’s proposal to go after corporate price gouging but is uncertain how it would work in practice. He also felt that neither candidate had a clear answer on how to end foreign conflicts in which the U.S. remains heavily invested.

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“I don’t think it changed anyone’s minds,” he said of the debate.

Write to Sabrina Siddiqui at sabrina.siddiqui@wsj.com

Photos provided by Sabrina Champ; Jessica Maldet; Kendra Clark