In a closely contested vice-presidential debate between Democrat Tim Walz and Republican JD Vance, viewers were split 50-50 on who performed better, according to a POLITICO/Focaldata snap poll. The debate, marked by civility and policy discussions, saw a divergence in opinions among independents, with Walz leading among this group. A CNN poll of registered voters also showed a close race, with 51% siding with Vance as the debate winner.
Key moments of the debate included Vance refusing to confirm if Trump lost the 2020 election, deflecting the question multiple times. Walz criticized Trump’s false claims of voter fraud that led to the Capitol attack on January 6, holding Vance accountable for his unwillingness to acknowledge the election results.
Despite the civil tone of the debate, there were disagreements on issues like abortion, school shootings, and immigration. Walz highlighted personal stories to advocate for women’s rights to choose, while Vance defended the states’ rights approach to abortion access. The candidates mostly refrained from attacking each other directly but focused their criticism on their running mates, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
The debate left voters divided, with Vance narrowly edging out Walz in the CNN poll. However, the outcome is not expected to significantly impact the election outcome in key battleground states. The lack of a decisive winner reflects the hyper-polarized political climate in the country as the election approaches.
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