WASHINGTON − The key takeaway from Tuesday night’s vice-presidential debate isn’t about whether Tim Walz or JD Vance triumphed.

Instead, the focus should be on the performance of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

Voters primarily support the top candidate, regardless of how strong or weak their running mates may be (think Al Gore, Paul Ryan, or Sarah Palin). In that light, last night’s 90-minute showdown on CBS favored Trump, as Vance was able to articulate Trump’s message more clearly than Trump did during last month’s presidential debate.

“Many of you are anxious about the chaos in the world and feel that the American dream is slipping away,” Vance stated at the beginning, asserting that the world was more stable and the economy was healthier during Trump’s presidency, attributing today’s issues to Harris. He avoided getting sidetracked with personal attacks.

“Who has been vice president for the past three-and-a-half years?” Vance asked Walz. “The answer is your running mate, not mine.”

Walz struggled a bit with foreign policy early on and did not match Vance’s confidence and fluency throughout the debate. Vance consciously appeared more moderate than his usual self, while Walz found it difficult to hold Vance and Trump accountable for their records.

By the debate’s final question, Walz gained momentum after Vance skirted inquiries about Trump’s failure to acknowledge the last election’s results, which led to the Capitol riot on January 6. “Did he lose the 2020 election?” Walz inquired. When Vance evaded the topic again, Walz labeled it “a damning non-answer” and characterized Trump as “a threat to our democracy as we’ve never seen before.”

Nonetheless, the debate is unlikely to significantly alter the political landscape or their campaigns as they head into the last weeks before the election. With Vance experiencing low approval ratings and Walz being generally well-liked, neither candidate is likely to sway public sentiment in a tight race. Historically, vice-presidential debates have rarely had a major impact on presidential contests.

They just don’t.

Highlighting the importance of the stakes, Vance directed most of his criticism toward Harris, branding her a far-left radical, rather than targeting Walz, even though the Minnesota governor has a record filled with critique-worthy issues. Meanwhile, Walz concentrated on Trump’s presidency and his campaign rhetoric.

The race is now very close as it enters its final five weeks. Nonpartisan polls across the nation and in several key states indicate that this may be one of the tightest contests in modern election history. The RealClearPolitics.com average of recent polls shows Trump leading by a margin of one to two points in four crucial states (Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania) while Harris holds a slight edge in the other three (Michigan, Nevada, Wisconsin).

Insights from the Debate on Key Issues

The debate offered insights regarding the challenges that lie ahead for Harris and Trump in the upcoming month.

• The moderators, Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan, opened with questions referencing significant breaking news, including the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in the Southeast, the longshore worker strikes, and rising violence in the Middle East. This highlighted how Harris may be held accountable for global events, whether fairly or not.

• Trump’s concerns about abortion surfaced when Vance was asked about abortion access following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Immediately after, Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social, asserting for the first time that he would veto a federal abortion ban, emphasizing “everyone knows” he doesn’t favor a ban.

• Vance also evaded several challenging questions regarding Trump’s proposals and statements. When pressed on whether Trump’s mass deportation plan would separate undocumented parents from their American-born children, he didn’t answer. He also failed to respond to how he would provide affordable healthcare for individuals with preexisting conditions if the Affordable Care Act were repealed.

Targeting White Working-Class Voters in the Midwest

As millions tuned in, both candidates focused on a specific demographic: white, working-class voters in the upper Midwest. This group used to be aligned with the Democratic Party but has become significant for Trump’s supporters. Winning Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin would greatly assist Harris in achieving the necessary 270 electoral votes. Conversely, losing a key state like Pennsylvania could complicate her chances significantly.

Each candidate highlighted their local ties, with Vance hailing from Ohio and Walz from Minnesota, though originally from Nebraska. Vance spoke frequently about his childhood raised by his grandmother in challenging conditions, while Walz recalled enjoying his youth by biking around his hometown until sunset. He casually mentioned, “I’m a hunter,” when addressing a question related to gun violence.

Interestingly, the debate’s most noteworthy outcome could be whether it influences Trump to consider debating Harris again. Currently, he has chosen not to participate in a upcoming CNN debate on October 23, where Harris is set to take part.

Could there be another matchup between Trump and Harris before the election?

If that happens, it would surely attract attention.