J.D. Vance: Polls Show Trump’s Running Mate Less Popular Than Sarah Palin
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Donald Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, is facing a significant challenge with American voters, as recent polls and analyses indicate he is less popular than Sarah Palin was during her vice-presidential run alongside Sen. John McCain.
According to FiveThirtyEight, an aggregator of national polls, Vance’s net favorability has taken a steep decline, dropping six points from -3.3 percent on July 18 to -9.3 percent by August 14. This decline highlights growing voter dissatisfaction with the Republican vice-presidential candidate.
In a Thursday analysis, The New Republic declared, “Vance is possibly the least popular vice-presidential candidate of the 21st century.” This assertion is backed by the sharp increase in Vance’s unfavorable ratings, which jumped more than 13 points in less than a month. In July, 28.9 percent of voters viewed him unfavorably, a figure that surged to 42.4 percent by August.
Meanwhile, the percentage of voters who view Vance favorably only increased modestly, from 25.6 percent in July to 33.1 percent in August, as reported by FiveThirtyEight. The New Republic attributes this increase in unfavorable ratings to Vance’s growing exposure as the Republican nominee alongside Trump. The outlet points to a series of gaffes and controversial remarks, including his comments about “cat ladies” and childless Americans, as key factors contributing to his declining popularity.
“As a result of his botched rollout, which included widespread backlash for his egregiously sexist comments and low-energy speaking events marred by gaffes, Vance’s net favorability dropped even lower,” the analysis states.
The decline in Vance’s popularity is significant when compared to past vice-presidential candidates. ABC News noted, “Vance is officially less liked than Sarah Palin, who is widely regarded as one of the least popular vice-presidential candidates in recent history.”
Even Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), who has also experienced a dip in favorability, remains in a stronger position than Vance. As of August 14, Walz held a net favorability of 4.7 percent, which is 14 points higher than Vance’s. The data underscores the uphill battle facing the Trump-Vance ticket as they head into the election season, with Vance’s unpopularity posing a significant challenge for the Republican campaign.
