The first and only vice-presidential debate between Tim Walz and JD Vance was watched by voters who found it to be almost an even match, with an overwhelming majority feeling positive about the tone of the debate. A post-debate survey by CBS News showed that 42% of viewers believed Vance won, while 41% thought Walz emerged as the winner, with 17% calling it a tie. The audience was more Democratic-leaning, likely due to Democrats being more enthusiastic about Walz heading into the debate.
Both candidates were perceived as reasonable by majorities of debate watchers, rather than extreme, and most felt they were prepared to be U.S. president if needed. Partisans mostly believed only their party’s VP nominee was prepared, while independents saw both candidates as capable. Vance and Walz were seen as even on issues like the economy and the Middle East conflict, with Walz performing better on topics like health care and abortion, and Vance having an advantage on immigration.
After the debate, both candidates saw an improvement in their overall image with voters. While Vance had a net-negative view before the debate, slightly more viewers had a favorable opinion of him afterwards. Despite the overall positive tone of the debate, Vance was perceived as spending more time attacking Kamala Harris and Walz rather than explaining his views. On the other hand, more voters thought Walz spent most of his time explaining his views, highlighting a difference in their debate strategies.
The survey conducted by CBS News/YouGov was based on interviews with 1,630 likely voters who watched the vice-presidential debate, with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 points. Respondents were previously interviewed to indicate their intention to watch the debate and their willingness to be re-interviewed afterward. This feedback provided insights into how viewers perceived the performance of Vance and Walz, the issues discussed during the debate, and the overall impact on the candidates’ image among voters. Despite differences in opinion on who won the debate and strengths on certain issues, both candidates were able to enhance their standing with the audience.
