[Dominate]

I think it’s similar to any other feature of a verse worth commenting on. Compare it with rhyme schemes for example. If your connection to the topic is completely absent, that’s as egregious an error as if your verse just doesn’t rhyme, for me (albeit connection to the topic is far more open to interpretation). At the other extreme, an amazing take on the topic can be as decisive a factor as a really impressive rhyme scheme.

Who had the better connection to/take on the topic is something I would always consider in my vote. Most of the time it isn’t a huge factor, because most of the time both writers do it to a similar, fairly decent standard. It probably only plays a big role in my vote when someone does it particularly poorly or particularly well.