What Difference at This Point Did It Make? – Day 2

In our continuing series of posts following the 2016 Conventions, today, we are looking at data from the August Wall Street Journal/NBC News survey* on Tim Kaine, Hillary Clinton’s selection for Vice President.

Hillary Clinton’s selection Tim Kaine as her running mate, followed the first rule of such decisions – to “do no harm.”

While viewed slightly less negatively than GOP Vice President Mike Pence, among voters overall, he is also has the lowest favorables of any newly minted Democratic vice president over the past six presidential cycles.

Vice President Feeling Thermometers

VP FTs

Kaine’s image ratings are somewhat more positive among a few important swing voter groups, like whites with a college education and in the 2016 swing states* but, notably, he has a net negative image among Independents.

Tim Kaine Feeling Thermometer Among Key Swing Voter Groups

TK Swing

Kaine does better among most Core Democratic voter groups, with the exception of voters 18-34 among whom he is viewed positively by 15{09f965da52dc6ab4c1643a77bd40d1f729d807040cd8db540234bb981a782222} and negatively by 16{09f965da52dc6ab4c1643a77bd40d1f729d807040cd8db540234bb981a782222}.

Tim Kaine Feeling Thermometer Among Core Democratic Groups

TK Core DEM

*The NBCWSJ poll is conducted by the firms of Public Opinion Strategies and Hart Research Associates. The views expressed in this blog are those of Micah Roberts and not necessarily shared by Hart Research Associates or NBC News and the Wall Street Journal.

Public Opinion Strategies