AUSTIN, Texas — The nation stopped to watch the first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
Many Central Texans watched the highly anticipated debate at watch parties throughout the area.
At Pinballz Kingdom in Buda, Travis and Hays County Republicans held a watch party together, showing support for Republican presidential candidate Trump. Many of the viewers clapped and showed enthusiasm for the topics discussed, such as America's rising cost of living, abortion rights and border protection.
"We need to get back to states' rights on abortion, we need to need to do what Trump didn't do for the first time, which is cut the budget and reduce the size of government, that's the only way we're gonna be able to save our economy and he's talking about this," Travis County Republican Andy Hogue said, praising Trump's performance. "We're on the right track. Kamala is not, she's talking about more spending."
The Travis County Democrats held a watch party at their headquarters on East 53rd Street, vigorously cheering on Harris.
"Vice President Harris just made it clear, I mean Donald Trump left us with the worst economy, he left us with inflation, his tariff plan is gonna leave us worse off than ever. Kamala Harris is ... the presidential candidate, that is gonna fight for us, fight for the economy and she is truly the person that will keep America going," Pooja Sethi, Chair of the Travis County Democratic Party, said.
Harris supporters detailed their concern for reproductive rights, saying Harris will take us "forward," when it comes to women's health care.
Both parties will be holding events over the next few weeks, rallying support for their respective parties during this election season.