Sarah Palin, chosen by GOP candidate John McCain in 2008 as his Vice Presidential nominee, became a warning of the real-world unpopularity of populist right wingers. She sharply limited the ticket's appeal to moderates and helped Barack Obama win a decisive victory. J.D. Vance, the Ohio U.S. Senator picked by Donald Trump in his own Republican campaign, is even less popular now than she was then. Moreover, Democratic counterpart Tim Walz is unusually well-liked for a running mate.
According to 538's new polling average of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's favorable and unfavorable ratings, the Democratic candidate for vice president has an unusual quality for a modern politician: He's well liked. As of Aug. 15 at 1 p.m. Eastern, 38 percent of Americans have a favorable opinion of him, and 33 percent have an unfavorable opinion of him. … By contrast, Americans aren't vibing with the Republican vice-presidential nominee. On average, only 33 percent have a favorable opinion of Sen. JD Vance, while 42 percent have an unfavorable one.
Americans "were cool toward Vance from the start," reports Nathaniel Rakich, but his -3 likeability rating has expanded to -9 and voters show no sign of warming up to him. An old clip of him describing the purpose of postmenopausal women surfaced yesterday and seems typical of his mentality. The clip's "just-lying-about-on-the-web" nature suggests the presence of many more just like it.
Previously:
• The 2008 interviews that sank Sarah Palin wouldn't matter now
• Palin believes dinosaurs and men once coexisted
• Federal judge throws out Palin's defamation suit against the NY Times
