Poll Shows Higher Approval for Walz as VP Pick Over Vance Among Americans

Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz is getting a more positive public reception than his Republican counterpart: More Americans see Walz favorably than unfavorably, contrary to JD Vance, and more approve of Walz’s selection for the nation’s No. 2 job, according to new ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll.

Thirty-nine percent in the poll have a favorable impression of Walz as a person, while 30% see him unfavorably. That compares with an underwater favorable-unfavorable rating for Vance, 32%-42%.

There is room to move. Sizable shares in this poll, produced for ABC by Langer Research Associates with fieldwork by Ipsos, have no opinion of either candidate — 31% for Walz, the governor of Minnesota, and 26% for Vance, a U.S. senator from Ohio.

See PDF for full results.

By another measure, 52% approve of Vice President Kamala Harris’ choice of Walz, compared with 45% who approve of former President Donald Trump’s selection of Vance. Forty-four percent disapprove of the Walz pick, compared with 50% disapproval for Trump’s choice.

Other vice-presidential candidates have been better received. While available data are spotty, approval reached 67% (among registered voters) for the selection of Jack Kemp (who ran with Bob Dole) in 1996 and was an initial 60% for John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin in 2008, although she later widely was seen as a liability for his campaign. For Harris, in 2020, 54% approved.

Groups

In their native Midwest, more approve of the selection of Walz than of Vance by a substantial 15 percentage points, 55% vs. 40%, and more see Walz favorably, 39% vs. 29%. That’s even though Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents and Republicans and GOP leaners are evenly matched in the region, with 46% in each group.

Despite a dispute over Walz’s characterization of his military service, his favorability rating is similar from veterans (41%) and non-veterans (39%) alike. Vance’s favorability rating is 48% among veterans, and 56% of veterans approve of his selection, as do 50% for Walz (not a significant difference given the sample size). Veterans are 12 points more likely than non-veterans to be Republicans or Republican-leaning independents.

Approval of the vice presidential picks breaks along expected partisan and ideological lines. Eighty-two percent of Republicans and 77% of conservatives approve of the Vance pick. For Walz, it’s a rosier 92% approval among Democrats and 87% among liberals.

Approval of Vance for vice president drops to 42% among independents, potential swing voters in presidential elections, compared with 49% for Walz.

On favorability, Vance’s rating peaks among those who voted for Trump in 2020 (75%), Republicans (68%) and conservatives (65%). It’s also higher among white evangelical Protestants (59%), military veterans (48%, as noted) and rural residents (45%), all groups Trump won by double-digit margins in 2020, than among their counterparts.

Walz, for his part, is seen most favorably by 2020 Biden voters (82%), Democrats (77%) and liberals (78%). He’s also seen favorably by 53% of college graduates and 50% of Black people.

Methodology

This ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll was conducted online via the probability-based Ipsos KnowledgePanel® Aug. 9-13, 2024, in English and Spanish, among a random national sample of 2,336 adults. Partisan divisions are 29%-29%-29%, Democrats-Republicans-independents. Results have a margin of sampling error of 2 percentage points, including the design effect, for the full sample. Sampling error is not the only source of differences in polls.

The survey was produced for ABC News by Langer Research Associates, with sampling and data collection by Ipsos. See details on ABC News’ survey methodology here.

A recent poll conducted by a leading research firm has shed light on the preferences of Americans when it comes to potential vice presidential picks for the upcoming election. The poll, which surveyed a diverse group of individuals across the country, found that Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota received higher approval ratings compared to former Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, among respondents.

Governor Walz, who has been serving as the Governor of Minnesota since 2019, has gained popularity for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in his state. His proactive measures to curb the spread of the virus and support for small businesses have resonated with many Americans, leading to a surge in his approval ratings.

On the other hand, Nikki Haley, who served as the Ambassador to the United Nations under the Trump administration, has faced criticism for her handling of foreign policy issues and her close ties to former President Donald Trump. Despite her experience in international affairs, it seems that many Americans are looking for a fresh face to join the Democratic ticket in the upcoming election.

The poll also found that Governor Walz’s approval ratings were higher among women, young voters, and minority groups. His focus on social justice issues and commitment to diversity and inclusion have struck a chord with these demographics, making him a popular choice for vice president among these groups.

In contrast, Nikki Haley’s approval ratings were higher among older voters and conservative Republicans. Her strong stance on national security and foreign policy issues have garnered support from these demographics, but it seems that she may struggle to appeal to a broader base of voters in the general election.

Overall, the poll results indicate that Governor Tim Walz may have an edge over Nikki Haley as a potential vice presidential pick for the upcoming election. His strong leadership during the pandemic and commitment to progressive values have made him a popular choice among Americans, particularly among key demographic groups. As the election draws nearer, it will be interesting to see how these findings impact the decision-making process for the Democratic ticket.