Did the first presidential debate of the 2024 US election win over key undecided voters?

ITV News US Producer Sarika Gandhi watched the Presidential Debate with undecided voters, and one independent voter in Churchville, Pennsylvania.

The quiet town of Churchville in Pennsylvania, North of Philadelphia was once known for its picturesque, rural landscapes.

Although still picturesque, its political significance has kept its name known.

Pennsylvania has a long history of being consequential in presidential elections. This swing state has chosen 20 of the last 25 presidents.

Donald Trump won the state by a margin of 0.72% back in 2016 against Hillary Clinton. In 2020, Biden clinched victory, but can he keep the Keystone State blue?

It could all come down to the undecided voters like Lynne Kelleher.

We met Lynne Kelleher, a local estate agent and her friends at her house in Churchville.

They are undecided voters. It's voters like these that are often seen as the prize for both Biden and Trump. And as Lynne told me, "Oh I know I am a prize voter to them".

But in the upcoming election in November, they told us they were conflicted, confused and felt let down by the lack of options for the country.

A feeling not just felt here in Churchville, but around the United States too.

The first presidential debate is a crucial opportunity for the two candidates to try and persuade these voters why they are the best option to lead the country for the next four years and prove they are the right option.

Lynne knows how important the debate is for her and her friends, and how it could sway their vote in November. That's why she decided to host a watch party and invited ITV News along.

Nearly 900 miles away from the debate in Georgia, we gathered in the kitchen as Lynne's friends filed in and chatted over some wine as friends do.

As expected, the conversation quickly turned to the politics – in particular, the choice between Biden or Trump. It came as no surprise these voters weren't impressed by either.

The ages of Biden and Trump were a factor, the worry of Biden's second term making him the oldest president in US history, and Trump being the same age as Biden when he became president caused concern over their mental and physical ability to hold office until 2028.

The group also noted how both of their candidates' legal woes were a distraction.

From Trump's conviction in New York where he was found guilty of paying an adult film actress hush money, and President Biden's son, Hunter Biden's recent guilty verdict in Delaware for purchasing a gun while being a drug user or addict.

Both are historic convictions for a former president and a sitting president's son - and are at the forefront of voters' minds going into November.

I asked what these voters wanted from the debate, and what the candidates needed to do to win their vote, after all, some would argue it's their vote which is the most important.

With all certainty, these undecided voters said Biden would need to show that he is fit, and well enough for another four years, and Trump would need to show himself to behave in a presidential manner.

As 9pm came around, it was time for the debate, the moment these ladies had been waiting for.

We piled into the living room securing the prime spots to watch the earliest presidential debate in history.

As everyone took their places, you couldn't help but feel the mood shift slightly.

You could feel the thoughts running through their minds, what is going to happen? Will Trump behave himself? And will Biden get through the debate without freezing? Will it be a fiery clash like last time?

The debate didn't disappoint in terms of knockout moments. For these voters, and even myself at times, it felt more like a film than a presidential debate.

Perhaps the reaction from this group of undecided voters was like a film too.

You could see them at times on the edge of their seats, biting their lips, jaws wide open, gripped to every word, or trying to understand what each candidate was trying to say – one voter even had a notebook, perhaps that was a sign of how much they were expecting to happen in 90 minutes.

This group were expecting the first presidential debate to be dramatic, given the history between the two candidates.

Regardless of the political boxing match between the two, it was about how voters responded to the debate that mattered, and how ultimately that would play out at the ballot boxes in November.

We asked them after watching the debate whether their minds had changed, although their votes might not be nailed on for either candidate, it was clear - the group had lost confidence and morale in a second term for current President Biden.

As the party wrapped up, and the voters went home, it was undeniable Biden had a long way to go to convince these voters he could be the next president.

He has around four months to do so.

For some, the debate made up their mind on who has their vote in November, but for others, they remain undecided and even more worried about the future of America.

Have you heard our new podcast Talking Politics? Every day in the run-up to the election Tom, Robert and Anushka dig into the biggest issues dominating the political agenda…