The Appeal of Second Bananas: The Impact of Vice Presidential Candidates on Presidential Vote Choice, Yesterday and Today

Abstract

To what extent do vice presidential candidates affect individual-level vote choice for president? The accepted wisdom is that vice presidential candidates are of minor importance to most voters. Yet much energy was spent discussing the potential impact of Biden and Palin as vice presidential candidates. Here, the impact that attitudes toward Palin and Biden had on vote choice in the 2008 election are compared with the role of vice presidential candidates historically. Although feelings about vice presidential candidates typically play little role in vote choice, there are exceptions. When vice presidential candidates draw media attention, feelings about them become much more important to vote choice. Whereas Biden represents the general rule of vice presidents garnering little media attention and having relatively little impact on vote choice, Palin_s candidacy drew an abnormally high level of media interest, and feelings about her exerted a stronger impact on vote choice, especially among Independent voters.