In a presidential poll, the VP choice does not matter much. Neither does the vice-presidential debates. But the JD Vance versus Tim Walz showdown tonight at CBS News will be different as polls reveal that tonight’s debate (9 pm ET) has the potential to change everything about US election 2024.
According to polling from Prolific for The Independent, two-thirds of Democrats believe the vice-presidential candidate has a significant impact on the overall presidential ticket.
Do people watch vice-presidential debate?
The poll which surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,000 participants on the Prolific platform on September 22 found out that three out of four Americans are planning to watch tonight’s debate.
A VP debate is not as significant as the presidential debate which took place this year on September 10 between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. About 30 per cent of those who watched the debate developed a more positive opinion about Kamala Harris after the debate., This includes 21 per cent of independent voters. For Donald Trump, most respondents said their opinion remained unchanged; it worsened for 14 per cent.
Coming to the VP debate, 56 per cent Americans believe that the VP candidate has a significant impact on the overall ticket. 66 per cent Democrats think the same.
Republicans are evenly split on the VP issue, with 49 per cent saying that the VP choice is significant and 51 per cent saying it is not.
A may-be president candidate to emerge from tonight’s debate?
Six former vice presidents have gone on to be president while 19 have run for the top spot signifying that a VP debate has far-reaching results — a possible presidential candidate may emerge from tonight’s debate.
JD Vance vs Tim Walz
Tonight’s debate will be the only one face-off between GOP vice presidential candidate JD Vance and Dem VP candidate Tim Walz. According to reports, Democrats privately worry how Walz will face skillful orator like JD Vance and hence lowering their expectation from tonight’s debate. Some Dems think Kamala Harris made it difficult for Walz and it’s now difficult to match her level of intensity and humor.