Approaches and tactics could change for both candidates in the second presidential debate on Sunday night, as both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are likely to switch up their strategies for the town-hall style rematch.
The 90-minute debate, to be held at Washington University in St. Louis, will be hosted by Martha Raddatz and Anderson Cooper.
Trump supporters are hoping for a stronger performance from the billionaire businessman following last week's first match-up, while Clinton fans are hoping she'll continue to highlight her leadership experience.
Here are six Trump-Clinton strategies going into the second presidential debate:
1. Trump must pivot — In the first debate, the GOP nominee sometimes got bogged down trying to defend every jab from Clinton. Experts say Trump would do better to brush off criticism, and then pivot to one of his talking points or to a criticism of his opponent. The Hill advises him to learn from his running mate Mike Pence's debate performance from earlier this week.
"The strategy worked in that Pence didn’t have to fight a losing battle onstage, re-litigating every questionable statement Trump has made. Instead, he stayed on message, often pivoting to a criticism of Clinton," The Hill reported.
2. Trump will stay away from Bill Clinton's past — Though he appeared to hint that he would "say something extremely rough to Hillary, to her family" at the last debate, Trump will stay away from personal remarks regarding former President Bill Clinton, which likely wouldn't go over well with the more intimate, town-hall style audience.
"I want to win this election on my policies for the future, not on Bill Clinton's past. Jobs, trade, ending illegal immigration, veteran care, and strengthening our military is what I really want to be talking about." Trump told the New York Post's Page Six in an email this week.
3. Trump will make up for missed opportunities — Trump supporters criticized NBC moderator Lester Holt in the first debate for not concentrating on Clinton’s weaknesses. Trump may have a better shot at bringing up his opponent’s email server scandals and foreign policy mistakes as secretary of state with moderators Raddatz and Cooper, according to Breitbart.
4. Clinton will continue to challenge Trump on facts — She will test his knowledge and abilities to be commander-in-chief as she did in the first debate, the New York Daily News notes. This will also test Trump’s temperament, especially if she continues to hammer his leaked 1995 tax returns.
5. Hillary will strive to make personal connections — In this town-hall style debate, where the questions are asked by individuals, Clinton could have an advantage in that she can be "engaging" and "thoughtful" when dealing with people one-on-one, according to The Washington Post. She'll likely capitalize on that come Sunday night.
6. Clinton will try to strengthen her support from women and young voters — She will emphasize her backing for such programs as paid family leave, affordable child care, and debt relief for college students, writes Page Gardner for The Hill. Criminal justice reform is also a cause that appeals to young voters.
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