VP Debate Tightens Presidential Odds

Many people are humorously calling for a Vance-Walz ticket after the cordial and refreshing vice presidential debate Tuesday evening.

However, that's not a real scenario, and the Vice Presidential debate only marginally moved the needle regarding the actual race's projections.

BetOnline.ag has been seeing steady money come in on former President Donald Trump during the past week, which shifted the odds back to nearly tossup ahead of the debate.

Following the JD Vance and Tim Walz showdown, the numbers moved ever-so slightly in the GOP's favor.  Kamala Harris remained the favorite.

Both Walz, the Democratic governor of Minnesota, and Vance, a Republican senator from Ohio, focused many of their criticisms on the top of the ticket, as is traditional for VP debates. They each pointed to the crises of the day as reasons for voters to choose Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump.

The debate unfolded in the final weeks of a campaign that has been defined by harsh, personal attacks and historic convulsions, including a candidate dropping out and Trump facing two attempted assassinations.

Vance refused to acknowledge that Joe Biden won the 2020 election in an exchange about the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.  Vance said Trump had told people to “peacefully” march on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.  The real threat to democracy, Vance claimed, was censorship of the opposition.

Walz accused Vance and Trump of villainizing legal immigrants in Vance’s home state. He pointed to the fact that Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine had to send in extra law enforcement to provide security to the city’s schools after Vance tweeted about and Trump amplified false claims about Haitians eating pets.

“This is what happens when you don’t want to solve it, you demonize it,” Walz said, saying not doing so would allow people to “come together.”

Vance said the 15,000 Haitians in the city had caused housing, economic and other issues that the Biden-Harris administration was ignoring.

2024 Election Odds (immediately before debate)

Kamala Harris   -115

Donald Trump   -105

2024 Election Odds (immediately after debate)

Kamala Harris   -110

Donald Trump   -110