Democrat and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump will battle each other on Tuesday in their first televised debate, a high-stakes clash that could give the winner an advantage in the final sprint to Election Day.

For Harris, the square-off in Philadelphia is an opportunity to lay out her priorities and show her mettle against a rival who has belittled her intelligence and subjected her to racist and sexist attacks.

Trump will get a chance to try and blunt some of Harris' momentum in a race that has considerably tightened since she became the Democratic nominee in July.