Harris proves her mettle to Democrats in debate

• "Let's state the obvious: This is a better debate than the first debate — no doubt about it, and there's no reason to sugarcoat that," Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told Axios.
• The debate left Democrats feeling increasingly confident Harris can beat Trump in November — and help the party win back the House by energizing voters in liberal states such as New York and California, where there are several competitive races.

Zoom in: The post-debate spin room at the Pennsylvania Convention Center was a mirror image of the one at the Biden-Trump debate in Atlanta just 11 weeks ago.

• In Atlanta, Democrats' shock at Biden's performance led only a few of his surrogates to appear in the spin room — and not for a half-hour after the debate was over. They stuck together and barely took questions.
• Tuesday, Republicans scrambled to put the best face on Trump's angry, rambling performance. There was chaos in the spin room when Trump himself showed up to do his own spinning and declare victory.

In June, Democrats complained about the debate moderators from CNN. This time, Republicans were the ones with grievances, about ABC News' David Muir and Linsey Davis.

• After the June debate, Democrats argued that Biden was right on the substance of his arguments, even if his performance was uneven. Tuesday night, Republicans made a similar defense for Trump.

What they're saying: "It seemed like Donald Trump thought he was debating Joe Biden tonight, and Kamala Harris had to remind him on several occasions that she is not Joe Biden," Murphy said.

• Gov. Roy Cooper (D-N.C.) said "the last debate was not a good one. This debate, Kamala Harris showed that she is going to be a strong president."
• Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) told Axios: "I think Democrats across the country are energized about the vice president's performance tonight.
• "I did not feel that way after the first debate," Butler added. "I think that this was definitely a different energy."

The other side: Several of Trump's surrogates conceded that Harris managed to get under Trump's skin, even as they complained about the debate moderators.

• "Kamala Harris — somewhat good at getting under somebody's skin...She looked like someone who can go on offense and attack," Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) conceded "But did (Harris) answer a question?"
• One reporter asked Donalds whether he thought Trump's debate team should be fired. (Donalds dodged).
• "They both got under each other's skin at times," Republican Vivek Ramaswamy told reporters.
• "I think [Harris] exceeded the low expectations that were set for her. That much I'll admit," he concluded.

Between the lines: Some Democrats were wary of praising Harris too much relative to Biden.

• Asked whether Harris did better than the president, former Rep. Cedric Richmond deflected and said: "I think she did much better than the person she was on the stage with."

The bottom line: Trump's surprise appearance in the spin room was perhaps the most remarkable turn of the debate's aftermath — and seemed to reflect Republicans' concern about how the debate played to viewers nationwide.

• His appearance in the spin room — a place usually reserved for a candidates' surrogates — attracted a throng of reporters and camera operators, some of whom stood on chairs to catch a glimpse of the ex-president.
• "I think it was the best debate that I have had," Trump proclaimed.