Handling Key Issues & Potential Democratic VP Candidates Survey

This survey was launched to a national sample of ideologically-moderate white women on August 1st, a few days before Vice President Kamala Harris announced her running mate. Similar to our July survey on potential candidates and May survey on top vote choice issues, this point-in-time research was conducted to better understand our audience’s opinions on key topics and current events. 

KEY OPINION QUESTION #1
If you had to say, who do you think would do a better job handling the following issues as president if elected this year? [Economy, Abortion, Immigration, Healthcare, Safety, Foreign Affairs]

• Kamala Harris
• Donald Trump
• Both equally
• Neither
• Not sure 

Moderate women said Kamala Harris would do a better job on abortion and healthcare and Donald Trump would do a better job on the economy, immigration, safety, and foreign affairs. 

KEY OPINION QUESTION #2
What is your overall opinion of Tim Walz? 

• Very favorable
• Mostly favorable
• Neither favorable nor unfavorable 
• Mostly unfavorable
• Very unfavorable
• Never heard of this person

Nearly half (49%) of ideologically-moderate white women surveyed had never heard of Tim Walz when this survey was fielded (prior to Kamala Harris selecting him as her running mate), and an additional 28% did not yet have an opinion about him one way or the other. Those that did have an opinion leaned favorable (15%) over unfavorable (8%).  

• 49% never heard of Tim Walz
• 28% neither favorable nor unfavorable opinion of him
• 15% favorable
  • 5% very favorable
  • 10% mostly favorable
• 8% unfavorable
  • 2% very unfavorable
  • 6% mostly unfavorable 

The survey also asked about other potential Democratic vice presidential candidates (Josh Shapiro, Pete Buttigieg, Mark Kelly, Andy Beshear) and Walz was the least known of the group.

METHODOLOGY

• Audience: US Moderate White Women
• Sample size: 600
• Dates in field: Thursday, August 1, 2024 to Friday, August 2, 2024