A recent survey conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research reveals interesting insights into the popularity of the Republican vice presidential candidate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, and his Democratic counterpart, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
The survey indicates that Walz is more favorably viewed by voters compared to Vance. While both candidates emerged as political newcomers this summer, Walz seems to have garnered more positive sentiments among voters.
According to the poll, Vance faces a challenge as negative perceptions about him outweigh positive opinions. Approximately half of registered voters hold an unfavorable view of Vance, with only about a quarter expressing a favorable opinion. On the other hand, Walz enjoys better favorability, with around 40% of voters having a positive view of him.
The disparity in favorability extends to the candidates' respective party bases. Democratic voters are more supportive of Walz, with about 70% holding a positive opinion, while around 60% of Republican voters view Vance favorably.
Interestingly, Walz outperforms Vance among both men and women, a trend that is not commonly seen in political alignments. Approximately 40% of male and female voters have a positive view of Walz, while Vance's positive ratings are lower among both genders.
Moreover, Walz holds an advantage over Vance among voters aged 60 and above. Half of this demographic group view Walz favorably, while only about 30% share a similar opinion of Vance.
Despite Walz's strengths, there are areas where he lags behind, particularly among Black voters and women. While Harris enjoys high favorability among these groups, Walz still has room for improvement in winning over their support.
Overall, the survey suggests that both vice presidential candidates have room to grow in terms of popularity as they become more prominent on the national stage. With the presidential election drawing closer, their profiles are likely to evolve, potentially influencing voter perceptions.
The survey, conducted among 1,771 registered voters from September 12-16, 2024, highlights the margin of sampling error for registered voters at plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.
