House Republicans lament Trump's 'terrible' debate performance: 'Let her get under his skin'

EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans are privately expressing frustration about former President Trump’s performance in his debate against Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday.

Several House GOP lawmakers granted anonymity to speak freely acknowledged Trump "missed" opportunities to effectively attack Harris and tout his own record. A few said it was the prevailing sentiment within the House Republican Conference that Harris successfully baited him on multiple occasions — though most argued it would ultimately have little impact on Election Day.

"It was terrible. I think you’re seeing that comment from everybody," one senior House Republican told Fox News Digital.

"The thing that’s terrible is, he had so many opportunities to come after her and he didn’t. He got bogged down on the hook she was dragging through the water."

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Another House GOP lawmaker went even further, calling the debate a "dumpster fire" for the former president.

"It was one of the worst bloodlettings I’ve ever seen," the lawmaker said. "But the thing is, too, the optics itself — Trump standing next to Kamala Harris, he looks old. He didn’t look old against Biden…and that, you can’t fix."

While most Republicans shrugged off the debate's ultimate effect on the election, that lawmaker worried, "I think it’s gonna sway the people in the middle, who matter."

A third Republican said Harris "certainly got under [Trump's] skin" and their fellow conference members agreed "she did well."

GOP lawmakers who spoke with Fox News Digital argued Trump’s policies and record are far stronger than Harris’ and were dismayed that they weren’t a larger part of his performance.

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