Tim Walz's Declining Debate TV Ratings: A Comparison

Tim Walz vs. JD Vance: A Civil Debate

The recent debate between Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Republican U.S. Senator JD Vance saw a sharp decline in viewership compared to the 2020 vice presidential debate. Viewing figures released by Nielsen on Wednesday revealed that 43.1 million people tuned in to watch the Tuesday night event. In 2020, 57.9 million people witnessed Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, then a U.S. senator, face off against GOP Vice President Mike Pence.

A Comparative Analysis

• Last night's debate was viewed by almost 25% less people than the Harris-Pence debate.
• The Harris-Pence debate ranks as the second-most watched VP debate since Nielsen began tracking.
• The 2008 Biden-Palin debate holds the record with 69.9 million viewers.

Ratings for Tuesday's debate were akin to the 2004 vice presidential debate between then-GOP Vice President Dick Cheney and then-Democratic U.S. Senator John Edwards, which had 43.6 million viewers. Both presidential debates this year had far more viewers, with Harris's debate against Trump gathering 67.1 million.

Public Perception and Poll Results

Despite the ratings, polls indicated a divided audience regarding the winner. A CNN/SSRS flash poll showed that 51% believed Vance won, while Walz followed closely at 49%. CBS News/YouGov showed a similar trend, with Vance gaining 42% versus Walz's 41%. However, Walz found more favor among independent voters, winning 58% to Vance’s 42% according to Politico.

Tuesday's debate may be the last for this election cycle as Trump is unlikely to participate in any future debates against Harris.