Sen. JD Vance is trailing behind Gov. Tim Walz in favorability ratings as the pair push toward Election Day, according to a new poll from USA Today and Suffolk University.
A survey conducted after the Democratic National Convention in Chicago found that 36% of likely voters have a favorable view of Vance, while 48% approve of Walz. Former President Trump’s running mate fared similarly among independents, where 47% said they had an unfavorable view of Vance, but just 36% said they had an unfavorable view of Walz, who is running alongside Vice President Kamala Harris.
USA Today and Suffolk University surveyed 1,000 likely voters from August 25-28 over cellphone and landlines. The poll advertises a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
The polling comes after Vance has adopted a media blitz strategy of accepting interviews even with outlets seen as hostile to the Trump campaign. Meanwhile, Walz and Harris have faced criticism for their relative lack of media transparency.
Harris and Walz conducted a joint, pre-recorded interview with CNN’s Dana Bash last week, but the pair have avoided more rigorous press events.
Trump and Vance have sat down for at least 38 combined interviews since Harris revealed Walz as her running mate.
Since Aug. 6, Trump has spoken with Fox News’ ‘Life, Liberty & Levin’ host Mark Levin, NBC News, the Daily Mail, Dr. Phil, Fox News’ Alicia Acuna, Hugh Hewitt Radio, FOX Business, podcaster Theo Von, the New York Post, WBRE News Wilkes-Barre, WLOS News 13 Asheville, Univision, and ‘FOX & Friends’ twice. He’s also made at least two other cable news appearances and sat down with supporter Elon Musk for a lengthy conversation, according to a Fox News Digital review.
The former president also sat down with podcaster Lex Fridman in an interview that was posted on Tuesday and a New Hampshire radio show on Wednesday, followed by a town hall with Fox News host Sean Hannity.
Vance, who has been critical of Harris dodging the press, has spoken to ‘FOX & Friends,’ CNN’s John Berman, WBAY2, News 5 Cleveland, NBC News, ‘Meet the Press,’ No Spin News, WALB 10, ‘CBS Evening News,’ ‘The Brett Winterble Show,’ ‘Jesse Watters Primetime,’ ‘Fox News Sunday,’ ‘The Dan O’Donnell Show,’ ABC’s ‘This Week,’ CBS’ ‘Face the Nation’ and CNN’s ‘State of the Union’ over that same time period.
Vance also appeared on Fox News’ ‘The Ingraham Angle’ on Tuesday.
Fox News’ Brian Flood contributed to this report