WASHINGTON — DNC Interim Chair Donna Brazile issued the following statement:

“Donald Trump would have had a better debate if he had just stayed in Trump Tower. He failed to issue a serious apology for his treatment of women, admitted he didn’t pay taxes, resorted to desperate attacks and mud-slinging, and was incoherent on every policy issue that came up. Hillary Clinton was unshakable. She was poised, prepared and informed. She offered substantive solutions to the serious challenges that our next president will face. And she proved once again that she is battle-tested, ready to fight for the American people, and the only candidate in this race qualified to serve as commander-in-chief.”

“We can expect to see more Republican leaders who endorsed Trump try to distance themselves from him in the coming days, but don’t be fooled. They chose Trump as their standard-bearer, and now they have to live with him. We cannot afford to elect leaders who ever thought Trump was fit to serve. We must elect Hillary Clinton as our next president, and Democrats up and down the ballot across the country on Election Day to build on the progress of the last eight years.”