Vance jokes he may have earned Walz’s vote after debate – Washington Examiner
The recent vice-presidential debate between Republican candidate J.D. Vance and Democratic Governor Tim Walz showcased a contrast in performance and strategy, with many pundits and observers noting that Vance appeared more prepared and confident. Post-debate, Vance humorously remarked that Walz was “welcome to vote for us,” suggesting he might have swayed the governor’s opinion during their exchange.
The debate, described as less dramatic than previous high-profile confrontations, centered mainly on substantive policy discussions, particularly around abortion and immigration. Although both candidates occasionally stumbled, the overall tone remained controlled and focused on issues rather than personal attacks.
Vance acknowledged feeling nervous during the debate and noted that Walz seemed similarly anxious. He was unsure of his performance until he witnessed his wife’s positive reaction afterward, which gave him confidence that he had done well. His debate strategy involved shifting the focus towards Vice President Kamala Harris rather than engaging directly in contention with Walz.
Vance’s performance was perceived as strong and strategic, potentially positioning him favorably in the upcoming election while maintaining a light-hearted rapport even as he discussed serious topics.
Vance jokes he may have earned Walz’s vote after debate performance
After his vice presidential debate against Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) on Tuesday, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) joked that the Democrat was “welcome to vote for us.”
Many media pundits and fans alike agreed that Vance had a better performance than Walz in Tuesday’s debate.
“I hope so, man; we’ll take every vote we can get,” Vance said on the Ruthless podcast in response to host Josh Holmes’s statement that Vance “might’ve earned [Walz’s] vote that night.”
“Tim, if you’re listening, you’re welcome to vote for us,” Vance added after chuckles. “You don’t have to tell anybody about it. I think we actually have a good shot in Minnesota … an outside chance. We’ve got a shot in Minnesota.”
Despite the jokes, Vance revealed his mindset and strategy for the debate during the podcast interview.
He said he was nervous and could tell Walz was nervous as well. Vance thought he said some good things but didn’t know he did well until he saw his wife, Usha’s face at the end of the debate.
“I look at Usha’s face, and I just knew we must have done a very good job,” Vance said. “Usha doesn’t lie to me, and her face especially doesn’t lie to me.”
Vance also said that his strategy in the debate was to prioritize highlighting Vice President Kamala Harris over attacking Walz directly. Vance said he’d rather mention Harris than get into a “back-and-forth” with Walz.
Vance said he was “a little bit worried” going into the debate that Walz was “just gonna attack me, and I’m not going to respond to it.”
“He’s going to call me an a**hole, and I’m gonna be like, ‘You know who the real a**hole is? Kamala Harris,’” Vance added.
A snap CBS News poll following the debate showed viewers thought Vance won 42% to Walz’s 41%, with 17% saying they tied. Vance’s favorability also jumped from 40% predebate to 49% post-debate.
Walz still came out of the debate with a higher favorability rating of 60%. He also beat Vance 60% to 55% on who voters thought was more prepared to be president.
As Vance remarked, Republicans do have an outside shot at capturing Minnesota. According to RealClearPolitics’s polling average, Harris leads former President Donald Trump 49% to 44.3%.
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