#230: Walzing into the Spotlight
In this email:
What you need to know about Tim Walz, Kamala Harris’s running mate
Changing polls
How Walz could make or break the election
Changing Polls
Since Biden dropped out of the race and Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee, polls have changed significantly:
The Silver Bulletin analyzes the aggregate average of national polling and as of now, Harris is leading Trump by about 3 percent. Compared to when Biden was the nominee, this is clearly better for the Democrats.
Roughly a week ago, Harris picked Tim Walz as her running mate — and the pick certainly hasn’t hurt her polling.
Of course, everything is subject to change, but the gap between Trump and Harris could potentially increase in the coming weeks as Harris grows support.
Tim Walz, the Biden to Harris’s Obama
Now, let’s get to know Walz, Kamala Harris’s running mate and potential VP.
He’s the governor of Minnesota, a former high school teacher and football coach, and a National Guard veteran.
He is undeniably Middle America, from his Nebraskan roots and military service to his “dad jokes”. He even had a DUI incident in 1995, which may hurt his character but certainly could help in terms of relatability. These factors are exactly what Harris needs to appeal to a wide voter base.
He is also brutal in his campaigning language, calling Trump “weird” and eluding to running mate JD Vance’s internet rumors that he had intercourse with a couch. Below the belt, perhaps, but definitely more on the offense than Harris.
How He Could Make or Break the Election
Let’s compare the two VP picks’ favorability:
A YouGov poll showed that voters have a net negative favorability to JD Vance — 36% found him to be favorable and 47% unfavorable. These are extremely damning numbers for Republicans.
Walz has a 40% favorable and a 39% unfavorable rating. This is not particularly good, but comparatively speaking he seems to be more liked.
More voters are undecided on Walz, which means his favorability has a higher likelihood of potentially improving.
💡 Ape of the Emerald City’s Takeaway:
Walz is definitely a force to be reckoned with, adding to Harris’s popularity in a much needed way. He is more popular than Vance and he doesn’t pull his punches on the campaign trail. Picking him as her running mate is probably Harris’s best decision so far.
If this election cycle has taught us anything it’s that every vote counts and that nothing is guaranteed. We’ll keep updating you on news and polling until November 5th.
TOGETHER WITH: SUMMATE
“Summate is an AI tool that summarizes all newsletters you read into beautiful daily digests. Read only what matters, skip the rest. Users of summate report saving around 10 hours of their time, weekly(!)”
✨ Your Personal Daily Digest 📥
