The vice-presidential debate between Tim Walz and JD Vance, held on Tuesday night, was perceived by viewers as a closely matched encounter with a positive overall tone. A post-debate survey conducted by CBS News gathered reactions from voters across the nation who tuned in to watch the event. Results of the survey indicated that viewers were divided on who emerged as the winner, with 42% favoring Vance and 41% leaning towards Walz, while 17% deemed the debate a tie.
The audience for the debate appeared to be more Democratic-leaning based on their party affiliation compared to the general voter population. Democrats showed more enthusiasm for Walz going into the debate, contrasting with the sentiment among Republicans towards Vance. This difference may have influenced the makeup of the viewership for the evening.
Majority of viewers found both candidates to come across as “reasonable” during the debate, rather than adopting extreme positions. Additionally, the candidates garnered support from a majority of viewers in terms of perceived readiness to assume the role of U.S. president if the need arises, with party partisans generally favoring their respective VP nominees in this regard.
On the discussion of various issues raised during the debate, both candidates were seen as evenly matched on topics such as the economy and the Middle East conflict. Walz received higher marks for discussing health care and abortion, while Vance was perceived as stronger on immigration-related issues.
Following the debate, there was an improvement in the overall image of both candidates among viewers. Vance, who had a more negative perception prior to the debate, managed to sway more viewers to view him favorably post-debate. However, some viewers noted that Vance focused more on attacking Kamala Harris and Walz rather than articulating his own viewpoints, whereas Walz was seen as dedicating more time to explaining his positions during the debate.
The survey conducted by CBS News/YouGov was based on 1,630 likely voters who watched the vice-presidential debate on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. Participants were previously interviewed in late September to ascertain their intent to watch the debate and willingness to be re-interviewed afterwards. The margin of error for the survey results stands at +/- 2.7%.