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KAMALA Harris and Donald Trump are set to face off for the first time in what is expected to be a critical event in an unprecedented election cycle.

Americans across the nation will be tuning in to see where the candidates stand on the issues, and first-time voters are gearing up to cast their ballots.

Trump and Harris are hoping to secure votes from Generation Z, with both campaigns reaching out to younger Americans on social media.

About 1 in 6 Americans who voted in 2020 were between the ages of 18-19 years old, making them a crucial voting block in 2024, according to an exit poll from CNN.

Students at New York University in New York, New York spoke to The U.S. Sun about their perspectives on the presidential election ahead of Tuesday’s debate.

Zarek, 18, and Dilan, 18, both freshmen at NYU, said that tonight’s debate will be a turning point in the election.

As two undecided voters, they’re hoping to see Harris and Trump clearly outline their policy perspectives.

Aaruush, 18, another freshman at the school, said he’d be tuning into the debate to get to know Harris’s policy stances.

“When she first announced that she was the new candidate, I think at that point people were very excited because a lot of Democrats were looking for a new representative other than Joe Biden,” Aaruush said.

“But I think from that point she hasn’t been extremely clear about where she stands,” he continued.

Aaruush added that the debate will show voters what Harris stands for.

Rohan Konkimalla, 18, a freshman at NYU, agreed he was unclear on some of Harris’s policy platforms.

“Honestly, I think Kamala Harris keeps switching back and forth on a lot of her stances. So I just didn’t like that about her,” Rohan said.

Rohan added that even though he’s still unclear about Harris’ stances, he’s excited to see how she performs at the debate.

Both Aaruush and Rohan shared that since Harris was nominated so late in the election cycle, it’s hard for them to decipher which candidate is running a better campaign.

“I think in the upcoming weeks, as they debate more, as they give more speeches, we’ll learn more about each candidate, what they’re standing for in 2024, and how that’s going to affect the outcome of the election,” Aaruush said.

APPEALING TO YOUNG VOTERS

Young voters are becoming an increasingly essential demographic in presidential elections.

Around 40.8 million members of Gen Z will be eligible to vote in November, with 8.3 million of them voting for the first time, according to a Tufts University study.

Harris has attempted to engage younger audiences with her social media team, Kamala HQ, capitalizing on trendy videos.

Kamala HQ rebranded their X account to mimic Charli XCX’s latest album cover, Brat, launching an online frenzy.

Trump appeared on podcasts that serve a largely young audience, facilitating conversations with comedian Theo Von, Twitch streamer Adin Ross, and internet star Logan Paul.

Jaidyn, 19, and Natalie, 22, have taken note of the candidates’ social media strategies and said Harris is accessible to young voters.

“I know there’s a video of her, dancing going viral right now. So she’s just more accessible, which makes her feel more human,” Natalie said.

“And she doesn’t try to be this dominant figure of, authority.”

Jaidyn added that Harris’s social media presence is more optimistic than Trump’s.

“I don’t think that Trump’s fear campaign really connects with us as much as joy does right now,” Natalie said.

Sebastian, 20, and Gianna, 19, said they’ve also seen an influx of Kamala HQ posts on their feed.

Gianna said she often sees TikToks from Kamala HQ and said Harris’s team is fast at hopping on trends.

“That team is on it,” Gianna said.

Even though the candidates are ramping up their social media presence as the election draws near, some first-time voters are skeptical of their intentions.

“What’s the action behind the words, are you trying to show that you actually care about Gen Z? Or is this just like a smoke and mirrors tactic?” Sloan, 20, told The U.S. Sun.

Jay, 20, echoed a similar sentiment, admitting that the candidate’s marketing tactics toward Gen Z didn’t appeal to him.

“People really want to get serious and think what our future is going to be like with housing, with climate,” Jay added.

Harris is polling higher with Gen Z voters, as 60% of young Americans said they would vote for her, according to a recent NBC poll.

Only 34% of respondents said they would back Trump, while 6% said they were planning on voting for someone else, and 10% said they were not planning on voting.

PRESSURE IS ON

Trump and Harris are tasked with sharpening up their platforms and honing in on their respective messages during their first televised showdown.

A recent poll from the New York Times and Sienna have Trump and Harris neck and neck ahead of the debate.

Trump is narrowly leading Harris by just one point.

When Joe Biden debated Trump in June, the event marked a turning point in his campaign, eventually leading to his decision to withdraw from the race.

Harris has time to make up as she’s running the shortest presidential debate in history.

First-time voters across the nation will be tuning in, a demographic that has proven to be critical in presidential elections.

The debate will air on ABC News at 9 pm EST from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

ABC hosts David Muir and Linsey Davis are moderating the 90-minute debate.

No audience members are permitted inside the venue and each candidate’s microphones will be turned off when they aren’t speaking.

This is so far the only scheduled debate that both candidates have agreed to before Election Day.

Harris’s campaign said she will participate in one more debate which has yet to be scheduled.

Original published date: September 10, 2024

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