Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Are you registered to vote? Do you know what your state's deadlines are? Find out >>

Do running mates matter?

a man in a suit smiles with an arena crowd behind him as well as a large "harris/walz" sign
Matt Rourke
/
AP
Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz appears with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris at a campaign rally in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024.

One former vice president, John Nance Garner, famously dismissed the office as “not worth a bucket of warm spit” —although he may not have been so polite. And it’s not far off from former President Donald Trump’s recent assessment.

But tonight, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will speak. Will it have any impact on her campaign?

University of Dayton Associate Professor Christopher Devine co-authored the book “Do Running Mates Matter,” which came out during the last presidential election cycle. On Cincinnati Edition, we ask him what that question means this time around.

Guests:

  • Christopher Devine, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, University of Dayton
  • Robert Alexander, Ph.D., professor of political Science and founding director of the Democracy and Public Policy Research Network, Bowling Green State University

Ways to listen to this show:

  • Tune in live at noon ET M-F. Call 513-419-7100 or email talk@wvxu.org to have your voice heard on today’s topic.
  • Catch the replay on 91.7 WVXU and 88.5 WMUB at 8 p.m. ET M-F.
  • Listen on-demand. Audio for this segment will be uploaded to this page by 4 p.m. ET., or subscribe to our podcast.
Stay Connected