A lot of people might watch the vice presidential debate, but will it affect the race?

More Americans will likely watch Tuesday’s vice presidential debate than watched the summer political conventions, President Obama’s final State of the Union address or even the last Oscars or clinching World Series game.

That viewership, though, does not mean the match-up of Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Republican Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana will make much of a difference in the presidential race.

Some of the most memorable moments in national debates have occurred in the vice presidential face-offs, including Democrat Lloyd Bentsen’s famous “You’re no Jack Kennedy” putdown of Dan Quayle in 1988. Yet it was George H.W. Bush who won that election and took Quayle with him to the White House.

But as that encounter showed, the debates can have lasting impact even if it doesn’t shift the race. In 2008, Sarah Palin’s capable and at times folksy performance — “Can I call you Joe?” — helped somewhat to temper doubts about her. In 2012, Vice President Joe Biden’s energetic clash with Rep. Paul D. Ryan reinvigorated Democrats after Obama’s flat debate performance the week before.

In this case, Pence needs to deliver a sure-footed performance after Donald Trump fell short in his opening debate with Hillary Clinton and compounded his poor showing both by doubling down on an attack on a former Miss Universe and subsequent revelations about a massive tax write-down he took.

Pence can also provide a measure of reassurance to many Republicans who aren’t convinced they can back Trump but are loathe to cast a ballot for Clinton.

For Kaine, like Pence a new face on the national stage, the task is to answer questions about Clinton’s liabilities that she did not address directly. In his more than two months on the ticket, he has made it a point to convey the trust he has in the former senator and secretary of State.

But barring a major gaffe by either man, and even perhaps if there is one, the public’s attention is likely to return quickly to how the candidates at the top of the ticket react and prepare for their own rematch Sunday.