TV duel between running mates: football coach meets Yale graduate

From criticizing “childless cat ladies” to making up stories about Haitians eating locals’ pets in Springfield to insulting reporters, JD Vance has managed to create a negative image for himself like no other running mate in a matter of weeks . According to a recent Associated Press poll, only about a quarter of registered voters have a positive opinion of Donald Trump’s 40-year-old vice presidential candidate and about half have a negative opinion.

In contrast, in the same survey, Tim Walz is viewed positively by about 40 percent of voters and negatively by just 30 percent. At the first and only running mates debate on Wednesday night, Vance faces the double challenge of convincing voters and winning them over for Trump. For Walz, it is enough to maintain his image as the down-to-earth running mate of Democrat Kamala Harris from the heart of America.

Although both are from the Midwest, their backgrounds couldn’t be more different. Vance grew up poor in Ohio, but attended Yale Ivy League University to pursue a career as a venture capitalist. He is a best-selling author and, with Trump’s support, Senator from Ohio since 2022.

Walz comes from a farming family in Nebraska, attended small colleges and then became a teacher and football coach. He served in the National Guard for over a quarter century and entered politics at age 40. With his folk art, he became the first Democrat to win a rural constituency in Minnesota that has otherwise always voted Republican in the congressional elections.

“Vance and Walz offer diametrically opposed visions of the heartland,” University of Wisconsin political scientist Barry Burden analyzed in the Guardian. “The Midwest in Walz’s imagination is homey and comfortable – a world where neighbors look out for each other.” Vance’s imagination is much darker – characterized by drug addiction, broken families and the threat of immigration.”

These opposing perspectives are likely to collide in the debate. While Vance will defend Trump’s “America First” policies and emphasize economic issues, Walz is likely to try to portray Vance as a turncoat and extremist and emphasize issues such as abortion rights and social justice.

Although vice presidential debates have rarely been decisive in the past, the Vance-Walz duel could receive greater attention given the close race. However, experienced observers like Larry Sabato from the University of Virginia doubt that the outcome of the 90-minute duel “will have an impact.” Even after Harris’ clear debate victory against Trump, the poll numbers hardly changed.

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