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Colleges Students on the VP Debate

- October 12, 2012

A few days ago, I posted about a project in which political scientists Amber Boydstun, Rebecca Glazier, Timothy Jurka, and Matthew Pietryka are working with React Labs to measure college students’ debate reactions in real time.  The verdict on last night’s Vice Presidential Debate?  1,472 college students reacted at least once.  But unlike during the October 3rd Presidential debate, last’s night’s debate produced votes on the overall winner that were more in line with the students’ baseline partisanship.  53% of those responding identified as Democrats, while 31% were Republicans.  On the question of who won the debate, 57% named Vice President Biden while 33% named Representative Ryan.  Another 10% termed it a tie.  Representative Ryan’s best moment in the eyes of the students was his closing statement, while Vice President Biden’s was his mention of Governor Romney’s comments about the “47%.”

[h/t to Amber Boydstun]