**VP Debate: Key Player in 2024 Elections, Say Voters**

With the vice-presidential debate just around the corner, new polling data reveals its potential significance in the upcoming election. According to Prolific's exclusive poll for The Independent, nearly two-thirds of Democrats believe that the vice-presidential candidate can significantly influence the overall presidential ticket.

Republican nominee JD Vance is set to face off against Democratic VP pick Tim Walz at 9pm ET on Tuesday, October 1. The debate is anticipated to draw substantial viewership, with three-quarters of Americans planning to tune in, based on a nationally representative survey of 2,000 participants conducted on September 22.

Vance, despite his claims of needing minimal preparation, has reportedly been dedicating several days this week to get ready for this critical event. While the debate may seem overshadowed by this month's Trump-Harris presidential face-off, the latest poll indicates its importance to many voters.

Notably, 30 percent of debate viewers reported having a more favorable view of Kamala Harris after her recent appearance, including 21 percent of independents—an essential demographic for the election. Opinions of Donald Trump, however, either remained unchanged or worsened for 14 percent of respondents.

Overall, more than half of Americans (56 percent) believe that the choice of vice-presidential candidate has a significant impact on the election, with this view most strongly held among Democrats (66 percent). This might not be surprising given the current VP, Kamala Harris, and the high expectations surrounding her selection in 2020.

Interestingly, Republican opinions on the matter are evenly divided, with 49 percent considering the VP choice significant and 51 percent not. In contrast to his previous conservative pick of Mike Pence in 2016, Trump has opted for the younger, less experienced Vance this time around.

Prolific's senior research consultant, Andrew Gordon, highlighted the increased significance of VPs in this election cycle, attributing it to heightened concerns about the continuity of leadership and the health of older presidential candidates like Biden and Trump.

Historically, six vice-presidents have ascended to the presidency, making the upcoming debate a potential platform for future leaders. Gordon noted that while debates typically sway only about 2 percent of voters, this year's VP debate could be crucial for the Republicans, especially in swing states where perceptions of Harris have improved at Trump's expense.