The significance of vice-presidential debates is often debated, with historical data suggesting that these debates have little impact on the eventual voting outcome in a presidential election. This trend seemed apparent once again in the recent debate between Democratic nominee, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and his Republican opposition, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio. Despite experts asserting Vance’s superior debating skills, the resulting public opinion was balanced with voters divided on the debate winner. Both politicians saw a slight rise in their favorability ratings, although this is unlikely to impact the unusual high ratings of Walz and extraordinarily low ratings of Vance.
A unique aspect of this particular debate was the sense that it could bear more significance if Donald Trump, should he win, faces health issues during his term. This would thrust Vance into the presidency, raising concerns given his historically low approval ratings. Prior to the debate, Vance’s popularity was at an all-time low, surpassing negative perceptions of former vice-presidential picks such as Sarah Palin. This concern is magnified when considering Trump’s age. Should Trump win, he’ll become the oldest president to serve a term by the time he finishes. Recent instances of Trump’s erratic speeches and refusal to participate in a second debate add to these concerns, insinuating potential cognitive or stamina issues.
Numerous inconsistencies and misstatements in Trump’s speeches, ranging from misattributing assassination attempts to the wrong country to spreading false information about immigrants eating pets, have raised eyebrows. Comparisons were drawn to previous expectations of Vice President Kamala Harris, with critics suggesting similar missteps from her would likely draw calls for her to step down.
During the campaign, Trump and Vance focused heavily on attacking Harris’s policies and showed obvious misunderstandings about the vice-president’s role. The vice-president’s main duties include supporting the president, stepping in for them when required, and taking over should the president be unable to perform their duties. It’s crucial to remember that Vance’s possibility of stepping into the presidency is higher than any vice presidential candidate in recent history, given Trump’s advanced age.
What’s alarming is that this individual, who has propagated false information about the Haitian community in Springfield, advocated controversial family and childcare policies, and made unsettling remarks about rape, could be one step away from the presidency. This debate should be perceived less as a confrontation between Vance and Walz, and more as a preview of Vance’s potential leadership should he assume the presidency.
In the debate, Vance did mimic Trump’s views on policies and misrepresented information such as the Biden administration’s alleged responsibility for inflation, furthering false narratives like an increase in violent crime rate. However, Vance’s refusal to refute Trump’s incorrect claims about the 2020 election stirred considerable concern, raising questions about his trustworthiness and potential presidency in the eyes of voters. Following Trump’s defeat in 2020, fears were that the MAGA Republicans would find a candidate pushing a similar nationalist, elitist, and divisive agenda, minus Trump’s drama. Based on the recent vice-presidential debate, those fears seem validated.
