J.D. Vance Isn’t Exactly Winning Americans Over

The numbers: Roughly 50% of voters have an unfavorable view of Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, while only 25% have a favorable opinion, per a new Associated Press-NORC poll. (AP)

  • In contrast, 40% of voters view Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz positively, with only 30% viewing him negatively.

Context: The two parties’ vice presidential nominees are set to square off in a debate next week amid a 2024 race for the White House that remains neck and neck.

Bubba’s Two Cents

As Vance’s public image worsens - his unfavorable rating has surged by 10 points since July - it’ll be interesting to see if he can reverse the trend in next week’s debate. While he's a pretty well-spoken guy (I think he actually performs reasonably well in certain situations, like one-on-one Sunday show interviews) the real question is: How much will voters care about a debate between the second-string players?