Former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway said the former President has no regrets about choosing Ohio Senator JD Vance as his running mate and would do so again. Conway told reporters at the Atlantic Festival that Vance was Trump’s favorite choice because of his willingness to go into “the lion’s den on TV.” The Republican candidate was also impressed by the Senator’s background and his academic credentials, Conway added, noting that House Republicans who criticized the choice were not Trump allies and could therefore be ignored.
When Mr. Trump announced his VP pick in July, several GOP lawmakers spoke anonymously to reporters, detailing their concerns that Vance did not enhance the Presidential ticket and might harm Republicans at the ballot box in November. Some said they worried about his lack of experience and foreign policy views, including his attitude toward Russia’s war with Ukraine. For instance, in 2022, Senator Vance said, “I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another.”
One House Republican told a journalist in July that Vance was the worst possible choice and claimed that “9 out of 10” GOP colleagues agreed with that stance. Another stated that if Trump loses the election, it will largely be because he chose the wrong running mate.
Polling figures since then indicate that the concerns may have been warranted. By August, Vance’s lack of popularity was evident when his unfavorability rating hit double digits. Polling aggregation showed that over 43% of voters viewed him negatively, compared to 33% who felt otherwise.
More recently, surveys show that Senator Vance’s favorability ranking has fallen even further, with 45.4% saying they dislike the Senator on September 22, compared to 34.6% who view him favorably.
Meanwhile, Vice President Harris has enjoyed the most significant popularity boost since George W Bush in the wake of 9/11. In the latest NBC survey, Harris showed a 16-point gain since July, with 48% now seeing her in a positive light, compared to 32% months ago. Donald Trump’s favorability has stayed relatively stable since the last poll, registering 40% favorability and 53% unfavorability.
On the issues, Trump still maintains a lead on immigration and the economy, but Harris is considered more competent and honest, and a slight majority of 1% believe she would make a better President than Donald Trump.
