Walz Gains Favorable First Impressions, While Vance Struggles to Connect

[Social Media]

 

In the evolving landscape of American politics, first impressions can often set the stage for a candidate's future success or struggles. This dynamic is clearly playing out in the early reactions to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Ohio Senator JD Vance, both of whom have recently been thrust into the national spotlight as vice-presidential picks in the upcoming election. A recent Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll provides a snapshot of how these two candidates are being received by the American public, and the results reveal a stark contrast between the two.

 

Governor Tim Walz, chosen by Vice President Kamala Harris as her running mate, seems to be off to a solid start. The poll shows that 39 percent of Americans have a favorable impression of Walz, compared to 30 percent who view him unfavorably, giving him a net favorability rating of +9 points. This early positive reception suggests that Walz is resonating with a broad swath of the electorate, despite the fact that more than a quarter of Americans are still undecided about him.

 

On the other hand, Senator JD Vance, the vice-presidential pick of former President Donald Trump, is facing a more challenging introduction to the national stage. According to the same poll, only 32 percent of Americans have a favorable impression of Vance, while 42 percent view him unfavorably, resulting in a net favorability rating of -10 points. This indicates that Vance has a significant gap to close if he hopes to improve his standing with the broader electorate.

 

Within their respective parties, both Walz and Vance are well-liked, though Walz holds a stronger position. Among Democrats, Walz enjoys a net favorability rating of +72, reflecting strong support from his party's base. Vance, while also well-regarded within his own party, has a net favorability of +55 among Republicans, a solid but somewhat less enthusiastic endorsement compared to Walz’s standing among Democrats.

 

However, Vance's struggles become more apparent when examining his favorability across various demographic groups. He faces negative ratings among men (-12), women (-8), and people under 40 (-22). Even among those aged 65 and older, a typically more conservative demographic, Vance’s net favorability is slightly negative at -4 points. These figures suggest that Vance’s appeal is limited, particularly among younger voters and women, both of which are crucial demographics in any national election.

 

Vance’s negative ratings extend even to groups where one might expect stronger support. Despite his criticisms of Democratic leaders, particularly over issues like family and parenthood, Vance’s net favorability is -10 among both parents and those without children at home. His appeal is primarily concentrated among White Christians, where he enjoys positive ratings, including +37 net favorability among White evangelical Protestants.

 

However, his support among White non-evangelical Protestants and White Catholics is much more tepid, with net favorability ratings of +2 and +6, respectively, margins that are not statistically significant. Vance also performs well among rural Americans (+13 points), yet his support drops off significantly among urban (-20) and suburban Americans (-10), highlighting the challenges he faces in expanding his appeal beyond traditionally Republican-leaning groups.

 

In contrast, Governor Walz appears to have a broader and more evenly distributed base of support. His net favorability is positive among most demographic groups, although not overwhelmingly so. Among people under 40, Walz enjoys a net favorability of +16 points, and he is also positive among those 40 and older, with a net rating of +6. Walz is viewed positively by both men and women, each with a net favorability of +9. Additionally, he has strong support among Black Americans (+41) and Latinos (+15), while White voters are more evenly split between Walz and Vance.

 

A deeper dive into the data reveals significant differences among White voters based on educational attainment. Walz is +18 points positive among White voters with college degrees, while Vance is -22 points negative with this same group. Conversely, Vance is +9 points positive among White voters without bachelor’s degrees, whereas Walz is -11 points negative among this demographic. These differences underscore the continuing educational divide within the electorate, which has become a key factor in modern American politics.

 

 

The poll also explored public opinion on the candidates’ selections as vice-presidential picks. A slight majority of Americans (52 percent) approve of Harris’s choice of Walz as her running mate, while 44 percent disapprove. In contrast, Trump’s choice of Vance garners less approval, with 45 percent in favor and 50 percent disapproving. Notably, more Democrats approve of Walz’s selection (92 percent) compared to the 82 percent of Republicans who approve of Vance’s candidacy.

 

These ratings are more negative than those for most vice-presidential picks in recent history. For instance, in August 2020, a Washington Post-ABC poll found that 54 percent of Americans approved of Joe Biden’s selection of Kamala Harris as his running mate, while in 2012, 51 percent approved of Mitt Romney’s selection of Representative Paul D. Ryan. In both cases, around 30 percent disapproved. Though the Post-ABC surveys did not measure reactions to Trump’s 2016 choice of Mike Pence, a July 2016 Gallup poll found that 37 percent of voters considered Trump’s selection of Pence as “excellent” or “pretty good,” while 45 percent viewed it as “only fair” or “poor.”

 

 

Both Vance and Walz bring distinct backgrounds and experiences to their respective tickets. Vance, who gained national attention with his memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," served as a venture capitalist before entering politics and has been a U.S. senator since January 2023. Walz, by contrast, has a background in education and coaching and has served as governor of Minnesota since 2019, following a tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives.

 

As the campaign unfolds, both candidates will have opportunities to reshape their public images and connect with a wider audience. They are set to face off in a debate on October 1, a key moment that could influence public perceptions and alter the dynamics of the race. For now, however, Walz seems to be benefiting from a more favorable first impression, while Vance has work to do in order to win over a skeptical electorate.

 

The Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, conducted online from August 9-13 among 2,336 U.S. adults, including 1,901 registered voters, offers a glimpse into how Americans are reacting to these two vice-presidential contenders. With a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points for the full sample and 2.5 points among registered voters, the findings provide a valuable early look at the challenges and opportunities facing both Walz and Vance as they navigate the complexities of a high-stakes national campaign.

 

Credit: WP  2024-08-19

 

 

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[HappyExpat57]

Let's face it, Vance was not vetted properly and has become an albatross around the neck of the cult's convict leader. Even 45 has thrown him under the bus.

 

It's OK, after Harris wins the election and the Jan 6 v.2 coup is squashed, it will all go away like the bad smell it is.

[Cryingdick]

They were both terrible picks. One cancels the other is how i score it. 

[spidermike007]

Walz is a very likable guy. Vance is not. And Vance has no idea how to control his message and says things that no intelligent campaigner would say. 

 

Maybe Trump should start by quitting hurling derogatory nicknames and ad hominem insults at his foes. He can ding Kamala on policy without making crass comments or veering into petty pot shots about her looks or gender that might make women balk. Every time he does that, he likely loses thousands of votes. 

He and his running mate must certainly avoid missteps like the one Vance made in 2021, when he blasted “childless cat ladies” who run the country but are “miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made.” He also foolishly suggested penalizing women without kids with higher taxes. For real?

 

Vance’s comments resurfaced recently and spread like wildfire on social media, drawing backlash from even conservative women. Trump and Vance need to reassure women that they take them seriously as a voting bloc, and they have no interest in pushing national policy that controls women’s decisions on family matters. The GOP ticket knows women will play a major role in deciding this election — perhaps they should start acting like it.

[Edwin Cameron]

Fake News..!

[Cryingdick]

42 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Walz is a very likable guy. Vance is not. And Vance has no idea how to control his message and says things that no intelligent campaigner would say. 

 

Maybe Trump should start by quitting hurling derogatory nicknames and ad hominem insults at his foes. He can ding Kamala on policy without making crass comments or veering into petty pot shots about her looks or gender that might make women balk. Every time he does that, he likely loses thousands of votes. 

He and his running mate must certainly avoid missteps like the one Vance made in 2021, when he blasted “childless cat ladies” who run the country but are “miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made.” He also foolishly suggested penalizing women without kids with higher taxes. For real?

 

Vance’s comments resurfaced recently and spread like wildfire on social media, drawing backlash from even conservative women. Trump and Vance need to reassure women that they take them seriously as a voting bloc, and they have no interest in pushing national policy that controls women’s decisions on family matters. The GOP ticket knows women will play a major role in deciding this election — perhaps they should start acting like it.

Likability is a matter of opinion. Many people do not find Walz likable i absolutely hate him for what he did to my home state. Either way you can't make such statements as fact but you are entitled to your opinion.. 

[Chomper Higgot]

25 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

Likability is a matter of opinion. Many people do not find Walz likable i absolutely hate him for what he did to my home state. Either way you can't make such statements as fact but you are entitled to your opinion.. 

You are right, it comes down to opinions.

 

The majority appear to be on the Walz side of the voting line.

 

Vance has been a disaster right out of the gate.

 

Trump will turn on him and toss him under the Route 101 Bus to Rikers Island.

 

[thaipo7]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Walz is a very likable guy. Vance is not. And Vance has no idea how to control his message and says things that no intelligent campaigner would say. 

 

Maybe Trump should start by quitting hurling derogatory nicknames and ad hominem insults at his foes. He can ding Kamala on policy without making crass comments or veering into petty pot shots about her looks or gender that might make women balk. Every time he does that, he likely loses thousands of votes. 

He and his running mate must certainly avoid missteps like the one Vance made in 2021, when he blasted “childless cat ladies” who run the country but are “miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made.” He also foolishly suggested penalizing women without kids with higher taxes. For real?

 

Vance’s comments resurfaced recently and spread like wildfire on social media, drawing backlash from even conservative women. Trump and Vance need to reassure women that they take them seriously as a voting bloc, and they have no interest in pushing national policy that controls women’s decisions on family matters. The GOP ticket knows women will play a major role in deciding this election — perhaps they should start acting like it.

I don't like liars and Socialists.  So not likeable to me.  It is the media that makes him likeable.

[spidermike007]

30 minutes ago, thaipo7 said:

I don't like liars and Socialists.  So not likeable to me.  It is the media that makes him likeable.

Yes you support the biggest liar of the past 50 years? 

[HappyExpat57]

3 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

Likability is a matter of opinion. Many people do not find Walz likable i absolutely hate him for what he did to my home state. Either way you can't make such statements as fact but you are entitled to your opinion.. 

Actually, the polls say otherwise. It IS, indeed, fact.

[newnative]

     In a nutshell, Vance is a negative with all voting groups, except, perhaps, male cat haters.   Yaa!

[herfiehandbag]

6 hours ago, newnative said:

     In a nutshell, Vance is a negative with all voting groups, except, perhaps, male cat haters.   Yaa!

I say, that is perhaps rather unjust - one must assume that there is quite a spectrum of weird people who like him...

[GroveHillWanderer]

9 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

I say, that is perhaps rather unjust - one must assume that there is quite a spectrum of weird people who like him...

Yeah, like this bunch, apparently. 

 

Republicans Carry Around Cups of Fake J.D. Vance Semen

 

Quote

Pictures have hit the internet of people outfitted in MAGA merch -- pictures of Donald Trump, bald eagles and American flags plastered on the chest -- and, in their hands they're holding sperm sample cups with J.D. Vance's face stickered on the front.

 

[herfiehandbag]

3 minutes ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

Yeah, like this bunch, apparently. 

 

Republicans Carry Around Cups of Fake J.D. Vance Semen

 

 

Hmm, I do sometimes wonder whether the human race are going to make it!

 

Not enough chlorine in the gene pool in some areas perhaps?

[siftasam]

Is he a Tennessee Walz?