Recent polling data reveals that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), who was recently selected as Vice President Harris’s running mate, holds a higher favorability rating compared to his Republican counterpart, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio). According to a survey by The Associated Press-NORC Research Center, 36% of Americans view Walz favorably, while Vance garners just 27% approval.
Despite these figures, both vice presidential candidates remain relatively unknown to many voters. The poll indicates that about 40% of Americans are not familiar enough with Walz to form an opinion, and 30% report the same uncertainty about Vance.
The survey also highlights a disparity in unfavorable views. Approximately 44% of adults view Vance unfavorably, compared to 25% for Walz. As Walz prepares to address the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday evening, he will have a chance to enhance his public profile, particularly among those who are less familiar with him.
The poll also shows that 40% of women and young adults under 45 do not know enough about Walz to form an opinion. Among Black and Hispanic adults, around 50% and 40% respectively, are similarly unsure about Walz.
Vance, selected as Trump’s running mate in mid-July, enjoys strong support within Republican circles, with 60% of GOP voters expressing a favorable view. The AP-NORC poll, conducted from August 8-12 with 1,164 participants, has a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points.
