'Striking numbers': Analysis finds 'Walz may have blunted Trump's advantage' on key issues

Tim Walz may have landed knockout blows to the top of the Republican ticket during his vice presidential debate against J.D. Vance.

The Minnesota governor faced off Tuesday night against the Ohio senator, and New Republic columnist Greg Sargent pored over some of the early polling from debate host CBS News and found that Walz may have cut into Donald Trump's advantage on some issues.

"Striking numbers from CBS: On who won the debate, it was a wash," Sargent posted on X. "But Walz did better on who came across as reasonable [very] extreme, who is prepared to be president, who is viewed more favorably, and on abortion and health care. Vance's lead on the economy/immigration is negligible."

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Respondents gave Vance a slight lead, 51-49, on talking about the economy and a 52-48 advantage on immigration, but Sargent was struck by how narrow the GOP advantage was on both issues that are considered their strengths with voters.

"That's just not a big advantage at all on the two issues Trump wants this election to be all about, *especially* compared with Walz's big advantage on abortion and health care," Sargent posted.

Sargent added the caveat that instant polls after debates aren't always reliable, but he noted that a CNN poll found 65 percent of respondents feel Walz was more prepared to be president if called upon, compared to 58 percent for Vance, while the Democratic candidate leads 48-35 on who is more in touch with the needs and problems of people like them.

"If these numbers are right (beware of flash polls etc.), the story of the debate is that Walz actually might have blunted Trump's advantage on his biggest issues," Sargent posted. "My God did the insta-commentary blow this one."