Delaware
Election 2024: Live updates from Philly presidential debate, Delaware primary
This story originally appeared on NPR.
Vice President Harris will face off against former President Donald Trump Tuesday for the first time since becoming the Democratic nominee.
The playing field is different than it was two months ago when President Biden’s dismal debate performance spurred a wave of concern over his ability to defeat Trump, the Republican nominee.
Since then, a lot has happened. Trump survived an assassination attempt, he accepted the GOP presidential nomination, Biden dropped out of the race and Harris then took over and clinched the Democratic party’s nomination.
Harris has since made up the ground Biden lost in swing state polls and now stands virtually tied with Trump. Despite a groundswell of support and reportedly record-breakingfundraising amounts, her campaign’s honeymoon phase is likely to end, especially as Trump and Republicans look to ramp up attacks.
Here’s what you need to know about this second debate of the 2024 presidential election cycle.
When and how to watch
The event will air at 9 p.m. ET for 90 minutes from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. ABC News anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis are slated to moderate the debate, which will be broadcast by the network and streamed on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.
Follow WHYY News’ and NPR’s liveblog for the latest updates, analysis, fact-checking and color; listen to and watch NPR’s special coverage of the ABC News Presidential Debate Simulcast on many public radio stations, including WHYY-FM. Viwers can also watch live coverage on WHYY.org and WHYY-TV.
What are the rules for the debate?
The debate rules echo those agreed on for the June matchup. That means microphones will once again be muted unless a candidate is speaking, something the Harris team asked to change for this debate.
It’s a rule initially proposed by the Biden campaign ahead of the first debate and was largely seen as a potential shake-up to Trump’s typical debate style. Instead, it ended up benefiting the former president, who has a history of interrupting in these settings to the point of his campaign’s detriment. Instead, the technical change helped Trump appear more controlled.
Harris’ campaign told ABC that Harris would be disadvantaged by the muted mics because it would shield Trump from direct exchanges — but said that it would agree to the terms lest Trump drop out of the debate altogether.
A campaign official, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe private negotiations, said that a pool would be on hand to hear what the candidates are saying into muted microphones — and that if there is “significant crosstalk,” the network may unmute both microphones. The moderator will warn candidates to stop frequent interruptions, the official said. “Our understanding of these things helped inform our decision to accept muted mics,” the official said.
There will be no audience and candidates will not be permitted to question each other directly. In addition, neither will be allowed to bring pre-written notes or props onto the debate stage.
What to watch for
Harris has mostly campaigned from the trail in her brief time as a presidential contender — excluding a single sit-down interview with CNN at the end of August. She has also struggled in the past with unscripted moments as vice president, which will put the spotlight on her ability to perform in a debate while also laying out some of her platform and going on the offensive against Trump.
Harris has been putting an emphasis on protecting reproductive rights while campaigning, and she’s likely to address it Tuesday night. Leading up to the debate, the Harris-Walz campaign launched its “Fighting for Reproductive Freedom” bus tour, pledging to make 50 stops in key states around the issues of abortion, IVF and reproductive rights.
Trump’s stance on this issue has been muddy. He’s made comments on abortion that appear to clash with some of his past views and statements while president. Recently, he acknowledged that Florida’s six-week ban was too restrictive, then clarified shortly after that he would not support the state’s upcoming ballot measure that, if passed, would safeguard access to abortions up until fetal viability.
Trump is likely to link Harris to Biden’s handling of the economy and immigration, two areas where Republicans have heavily criticized the White House. He may also highlight aspects of her political record, including her past support for decriminalizing border crossings and banning fracking — two policies she backed during her 2020 presidential bid and has since pivoted on.
On the other hand, Harris has repeatedly tied Trump’s platform to Project 2025, a 900-page set of policy proposals for a potential second term put forward by a conservative think tank, The Heritage Foundation. Trump has tried to distance himself from the plan — which includes further restrictions on abortion access among a slew of moves that would increase executive power.
Tuesday’s matchup also poses new stakes for Trump: He’s facing a very different opponent.
In the aftermath of the June debate, the former president’s mistakes weren’t a focus, largely because of Biden’s more noticeably poor performance. That said, Trump by no means had a perfect night, repeatedly highlighting false and misleading information. So this time, as NPR’s Domenico Montanaro pointed out, “If Harris has a solid debate, the focus could be on Trump in a way he doesn’t want.”
What’s next?
Vice presidential candidates Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Republican Sen. JD Vance will face off on Oct. 1 in a debate hosted by CBS News. The two hold similar roles in their respective campaigns: to appeal to voters in the “Blue Wall” states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin this fall.
It’s unclear whether Harris and Trump will debate a second time. No additional dates have been formally announced.
NPR White House Correspondent Tamara Keith contributed reporting.
Delaware officials tout tourism, watch parties for 2026 FIFA World Cop
Officials announced that the state will host four watch parties across Delaware for this summer’s World Cup. 2/12/26
Delaware resident DJ Jazzy Jeff, the same Grammy winner who played Will Smith’s bestie on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” sitcom, will bring the First State to Philadelphia for the FIFA World Cup 2026 this summer.
The West Philly native – best known for teaming up with Will Smith and forming the 1980s dynamic duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – is an official FIFA music ambassador for the World Cup.
DJ Jazzy Jeff (Jeffrey Allen Townes) lives in Bear, and he produced a Social ID (or branded music) that soccer fans will hear when FIFA games are broadcast from Philly at Lincoln Financial Field (home of the Philadelphia Eagles) from June 14 to July 4. (The entire FIFA World Cup tournament runs from June 11 to July 19.).
DJ Jazzy Jeff talks FIFA World Cup 2026 music: ‘It’s an honor’
FIFA teamed up with influential producers from well over a dozen host cities in the U.S., Mexico and Canada to tie the soccer tournament to each city’s culture, giving World Cup fans and visitors a preview with a taste of audio flavor for each place they’ll experience before these games.
Philly is one of the World Cup host cities across the U.S., and Jazzy Jeff collaborated with Philadelphia Soccer 2026, the nonprofit organization that is the operational host committee tasked with planning and delivering the World Cup to Philly this summer.
Fans will be able to download the Social IDs on Apple, Spotify, and other platforms, according to FIFA.
“Music has the power to bring people together and transport them to a specific time and place. My hope is that this Sonic ID is representative of the experience of Philadelphia, inside a stadium packed to the brim with passionate fans,” the Firefly Music Festival alum said in a 2025 statement. “It’s an honor to be part of the FIFA World Cup 26™ journey and I can’t wait for the world to feel the energy of Philly in 2026!”
Music from the Social ID Jazzy Jeff and other artists delivered will be played in stadiums, during broadcasts, across digital platforms throughout the tournament, and at FIFA Fan Festivals, which are entertainment hubs for watch parties and performances.
“DJ Jazzy Jeff has shaped the sound of Philadelphia for the last 40 years and we’re proud to capture a piece of that legacy in our Host City Sonic ID,” Meg Kane, host city executive/CEO for Philadelphia Soccer 2026, said in a 2025 statement.
While DJ Jazzy Jeff’s social ID was announced in early 2025, his music is going to get renewed interest since Delaware officially announced its partnership with Philly Soccer 2026 on Feb. 12, which includes the state’s plans to attract tourism for the FIFA World Cup.
How many people will watch the FIFA World Cup 2026?
The FIFA World Cup is the largest sporting event on Earth. Over 3 billion are expected to tune into this summer’s World Cup final, which will be played July 19 at neighboring New Jersey at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, temporarily renamed New York New Jersey Stadium.
While the recent Super Bowl 60 peaked at 137.8 million viewers, the last World Cup in 2022 drew over 1.4 billion spectators.
How many people will visit Delaware for FIFA World Cup 2026?
More than 100,000 hotel rooms are expected to be booked in the tri-state region (Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey), along with over 500,000 visitors to the region. The economic impact this summer is estimated at nearly $800 million, Kane said.
Delaware will host a FIFA World Cup 2026 team
Gov. Matt Meyer announced at a Feb. 12 tourism event that Delaware is bringing the World Cup to the Small Wonder, but he didn’t reveal which team at the time.
One of the club teams will lodge in the state, while the team practices at the Philadelphia Union’s Subaru Park stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania.
“There’s never been a [Delaware] governor who can stand up and say that the World Cup is coming here,” Meyer said at the event held at the Hyatt Place Wilmington/Riverfront. “We’re very excited about that, bringing … a place of the world’s best here to Delaware.”
If you have an interesting story idea, email lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters.
Ever wonder what’s inside Dover’s Legislative Hall? Let’s take a look
Delaware’s Legislative Hall has served as the state’s capitol building since the 1930s. Here’s a look inside those hallowed halls.
Former House Rep. John Viola passed away, according to a social media post from his daughter and a statement from Delaware House Democrats.
Viola represented parts of Newark and Bear from 1998 until the time he left office in 2020. He was 75 years old.
His daughter Andria Bennett, who is also a former state representative, posted about Viola’s death on Facebook on Feb. 15, saying, “my best friends, my favorite person, my safe place, my ride or die, MY JV left us and my heath is absolutely shattered.”
House Democratic leadership released a statement on Sunday afternoon remembering Viola as a “dedicated public servant in every sense of the word.” The statement referenced his time in Dover, in the Air Force and as a volunteer firefighter.
“Whether in Legislative Hall or in everyday life, John showed up every day with the same purpose: to help people and make life a little better for others,” the statement by Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown, Majority Leader Kerri Evelyn Harris, and Majority Whip Ed Osienski said.
Viola himself served as House Majority Whip from 2013 to 2017. He lost a primary election in 2020 to current Rep. Madinah Wilson-Anton by 43 votes.
He and his daughter, Bennett, were the first father and daughter to serve in the state House of Representatives at the same time.
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