JD Vance, First VP Pick with Negative Net Favorability Rating after Convention

CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten reveals that JD Vance, Republican vice presidential nominee, is the first to have a negative favorability rating immediately following a convention.

CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten made a groundbreaking announcement on Tuesday, revealing that Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), the running mate of former President Donald Trump, has become the first vice presidential nominee to possess a net negative favorability rating after his party's convention.

Enten conducted a thorough examination, tracing back to 1980, to establish that Vance holds a unique position in political history. "Immediately following a convention, he is the first guy, a VP pick, who actually had a net negative favorability rating," Enten explained. "That is underwater."

JD Vance, First VP Pick with Negative Net Favorability Rating after Convention

Furthermore, Enten highlighted that the average net favorability rating for a vice presidential nominee has remained positive, hovering around 19 points since 2000. Vance's negative rating sets him apart as an anomaly in the political landscape.

"JD Vance, making history in the completely wrong way," Enten remarked, underscoring the significance of Vance's position.

JD Vance, First VP Pick with Negative Net Favorability Rating after Convention

Despite Vance's Ohio roots, a state that Trump comfortably won in both the 2016 and 2020 elections, some experts had speculated that Vance's selection would boost Trump's support among working-class Democrats, particularly in the Rust Belt. However, Enten refutes this notion, pointing out that Vance's narrow victory in his home state's senate race in 2022, with a margin of only 6 points, suggests that his appeal might be limited in the region.

Moreover, Enten emphasizes that Trump led Ohio by 8 points in 2020, and Republican Governor Mike DeWine achieved a resounding 25-point victory in the state two years ago. These figures indicate that Vance's influence in Ohio and the Rust Belt may not be as significant as anticipated.

JD Vance, First VP Pick with Negative Net Favorability Rating after Convention

Notably, Vance had initially expressed criticism of Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, dismissing him as "cultural heroin" and expressing concerns about his potential impact on the working class. However, Vance's stance shifted during Trump's presidency, acknowledging that he had underestimated Trump's abilities.

"I was wrong about him," Vance admitted to CNN in May. "I didn't think he was going to be a good president. And I was very, very proud to be proven wrong. It's one of the reasons why I'm working so hard to get him elected."

Trump, in a recent interview with Fox News, downplayed his past disagreements with Vance, attributing them to a lack of understanding. "Originally, JD was probably not for me, but he didn't know me," Trump stated. "And then when we got to know each other, he liked me maybe more than anybody liked me."

As the 2024 presidential election draws closer, JD Vance's negative favorability rating stands as a unique and noteworthy development in American political history. His ability to sway voters in the upcoming election remains to be determined, but his initial reception suggests that he faces an uphill battle to overcome unfavorable perceptions among the electorate.