Some Republican officials, donors and advisers said Trump botched the debate with Harris. "I think it was one of my better debates, maybe my best debate," Trump said on Wednesday.
Trump ally, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, is one of the few party leaders who have publicly said Trump performed poorly. Graham told reporters about Trump's debate performance, "Missed opportunity." He also said the former president failed to stay focused and lost the opportunity to tout his political achievements.
Six Republican donors and three Trump advisers also told reporters that they believed the main reason Harris won the debate was that Trump could not speak in a consistent manner. (Jin Shi)