Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.
Clinton prevails in final presidential debate
Ballotpedia's scope changes periodically, and this article type is no longer actively created or maintained. If you would like to help our coverage grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia.
 Date: November 8, 2016 |
Winner: Donald Trump (R) Hillary Clinton (D) • Jill Stein (G) • Gary Johnson (L) • Vice presidential candidates |
Important dates • Nominating process • Ballotpedia's 2016 Battleground Poll • Polls • Debates • Presidential election by state • Ratings and scorecards |
2028 • 2024 • 2020 • 2016 Have you subscribed yet?
Join the hundreds of thousands of readers trusting Ballotpedia to keep them up to date with the latest political news. Sign up for the Daily Brew.
|
This page was current as of the 2016 election.
October 20, 2016
By James A. Barnes
Once again, Donald Trump had a tough debate night in the eyes of many political insiders, including many of his fellow Republicans. His final encounter with Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on October 19 at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas will be remembered for moderator Chris Wallace’s question to Trump on whether he would accept the results of the November 8 election. Trump replied, “I will tell you at the time, I will keep you in suspense.”
Ballotpedia surveyed more than 130 Democratic and Republican strategists, pollsters, media consultants, activists, lobbyists, and allied interest group operatives, after the conclusion of the debate. An overwhelming majority of 68 Democratic Insiders who responded thought the former secretary of state was the “biggest winner” of the debate. Only two said the evening was a draw and none said Trump won the candidate face-off.
At the same time, the 68 Republican Insiders were much more closely divided: a little more than a third said that Trump emerged as the big winner in Vegas, almost the same percentage said Clinton prevailed, and almost a third said the debate was a draw.
Wallace’s question about accepting the election’s results—and Trump’s response—was reminiscent of the very first debate among the Republican White House contenders back on August 6, 2015. With Wallace looking on, his Fox colleague, Bret Baier, opened that GOP face-off asking the stage full of 10 Republicans to raise their hand if any of them was unwilling to pledge not to run as a third party candidate, should he fail to capture the Republican nomination. Trump was the sole GOP debater who raised his hand.
And just like last August, Trump’s response to Wallace dominated post-debate analysis. “Trump blew it with his unwillingness to say he would accept election results and his complete inability to stay on message,” declared one Democratic Insider. “Trump was a little better tonight, but again lost the biggest moment decisively when he declined to accept the results of the election,” echoed another Democrat. “And as usual he will lose the post-debate fact checking, so any style points he might have gained were squandered.” A third Democrat added, “Only news of the debate is Trump saying he won’t necessarily accept the results of the election: Game over.”
Several Republican Insiders were no less critical of the Republican nominee. “Trump failed to convince anyone he was capable, and disqualified himself with his abhorrent answer about [not] accepting the result of the elections,” maintained one Republican Insider. Another judged, “Clinton killed Trump tonight, even before Trump committed electoral suicide by refusing to accept the result of the democratic process.” One GOP Insider allowed, “It could have been a better night for Trump if he could better explain his reasonable concerns about the integrity of the voting process.” This survey was conducted anonymously to encourage candor from the Insiders.
Trump, who seems to revel in thumbing his nose at political elites and what they think, doubled-down on his controversial stance the day after the Las Vegas encounter. At a campaign rally in Ohio, Trump playfully told his supporters that he will “totally accept” the election’s results, “if I win.”
James A. Barnes is a senior writer for Ballotpedia and co-author of the 2016 edition of the Almanac of American Politics.
See also
- Presidential debate at the University of Nevada (October 19, 2016)
- Presidential debates (2015-2016)
- Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2016
- Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, 2016
