NBC's Kristen Welker reveals Democrats texted her in a “panic” during the debate, worried about the “likable” Vance

NBC News' Kristen Welker revealed that Democrats were concerned about how “likable” Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, appeared during the CBS News vice presidential debate on Tuesday night.

Welker appeared on NBC's “Today” show Wednesday and admitted that Democrats sent her a text message mid-debate in which she “panicked” about how Vance's performance could turn the tide on his low popularity ratings .

“Senator JD Vance clearly knew his challenge was dealing with the likeability factor. The fact that he is the second most unpopular vice president in history in our poll. So I got text messages from Democrats who were frankly panicking and saying, 'Wow, he's really the most personable he's ever been on these issues,'” the “Meet the Press” host said.

Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, took on Democratic vice presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday in their first and likely only debate before the November election. Media critics later called the debate in Vance's favor, saying Walz seemed “insecure” and “nervous” compared to Vance's “soft” demeanor.

REACTIONS COME TO VP DEBATE AS CRITICS GIVE VANCE A VICTORY OVER WALZ

NBC's Kristen Welker said Democrats texted her “in a panic” during Tuesday's vice presidential debate. (NBC News/Screenshot/CBS News)

But Welker pointed out that Democrats saw a weakness in Vance's dodging a question from Walz about whether he agreed with former President Trump's denials that he lost the 2020 election.

“But that moment at the end, when Gov. Walz pressed him on whether he accepted whether former President Trump lost the election, and he said, 'Let's focus on the future' – they're going to try to make that a flashpoint, “said Welker.

“They are already in the process of turning it into an ad. They believe this will be an opportunity to really try to appeal to this very small portion of still undecided but moderate independent suburban voters,” she continued.

Voters in a Fox News focus group had mixed reactions to this exchange in the debate.

Republicans on the Fox News Debate Dial were unimpressed with Walz's line of questioning and the dial dropped, with approval of Vance's answers remaining broadly the same, but the dials for independents and Democrats dropped sharply when Vance dismissed the question. It was the sharpest dive among independents.

VANCE exuded confidence compared to JITTERY WALZ, BODY LANGUAGE EXPERT SAYS: “CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP”

Some media critics said JD Vance won the debate. ((Source: CBS))

Liberal media pundits repeatedly played and discussed the clip in the aftermath of the debate, saying it was one of Walz's strongest moments on a night that Vance otherwise controlled.

Still, several media experts agreed that Vance won the overall debate.

“Vance is going home with Walz's wallet tonight. “Vance didn't even have to grab it, Walz just handed it over, along with a bunch of undeserved compliments on Vance's good character,” The Atlantic's David Frum wrote on X.

“I would call this the most successful Republican debate performance of this century, eclipsing Romney in the first debate with Obama in 2012,” said New York Times columnist Ross Douthat.

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Fox News' Adam Shaw, Brian Flood and Joseph Wulfsohn contributed to this report.