A recent CBS News poll, conducted in collaboration with YouGov, indicated that JD Vance emerged as the winner of the vice presidential debate against Tim Walz on Tuesday night, securing a narrow lead of just one percent. Out of the respondents surveyed, 42% believed Vance won the debate, while 41% thought Walz was victorious. A significant 17% of the poll participants considered the two debaters as having reached a draw.
Another instant poll conducted by CNN showed that JD Vance prevailed with an even larger margin of victory, winning by a total of 51% to Tim Walz’s 49. Despite the close results displayed in these polls, commentators seemed less uncertain about the outcome, with many asserting that JD Vance had effectively dominated the debate.
CNN anchor Abby Phillip critiqued Tim Walz’s performance, stating “I think there was a clear lack of preparation and execution here,” as she observed that Vance had landed some decisive punches during the debate. CNN host Dana Bash echoed this sentiment, adding that JD Vance appeared to have over-prepared for the event. He had so many lines that he was clearly trying to say,” she remarked.
The lack of experience in dealing with national and local media coverage was cited as a contributing factor to Walz’s struggles during the debate. CNN host Jake Tapper further emphasized JD Vance’s extensive experience with public speaking, defending himself, and pivoting when necessary. The issue of nervousness on stage was also brought up by Anderson Cooper when discussing Tim Walz’s performance.
Even those who are typically critical of Trump, such as Bill Kristol, acknowledged that Walz failed to deliver a strong performance in the debate. This sentiment was further reflected on social media platforms where undecided voters and commentators alike expressed their views on the outcome of the vice presidential debate.
As we move forward, it remains to be seen how these debates will influence undecided voters whose reactions can often be difficult to predict. For instance, while pundits and polls have declared Vance the winner of Tuesday night’s debate, a panel of undecided voters in Pennsylvania told NBC News that Tim Walz had won the debate with a decisive five to one vote.
This unpredictability was similarly observed following the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris when a Reuters poll of undecided voters indicated that Trump had won the debate, despite other polls and commentators asserting that Harris had emerged victorious. In this instance, the six out of ten undecided voters who were surveyed before watching the debate said they would now either vote for Trump or lean towards supporting him after the event. Three individuals stated their intention to back Kamala Harris, while one remained undecided on how they would cast their vote in the upcoming election.