Governor Tim Walz and Senator JD Vance are set to debate each other on October 1, and their head-to-head could be the last time the two campaigns formally meet before polling day in November.
With the Trump campaign dodging a rematch between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump after the pair met on ABC, the upcoming New York showdown, moderated by CBS News, is the last event both campaigns have agreed to before voters go to the polls, making this meeting all the more significant.
While polling aggregates put the Trump and Harris campaigns neck-and-neck in the battleground states, Walz enjoys a 40 percent approval rating according to the latest FiveThirtyEight aggregates, while Vance is on 35 percent.
The debate could also turn personal – Walz was responsible for popularizing the “weird” attacks against Trump and more specifically Vance, and with the two of them meeting for the first time onstage, those insults are likely to be addressed.
Speaking at a rally in Michigan last night, Vance said that he was well-prepared for the debate.
“What I’m going to try to show is is very simple that the team of substance, the team that actually has a record that that we’re proud of, is the team of Trump-Vance.
“We’re studying up as much as we can on the issues that matter to the American people and I’m looking forward to it because the moderators may very well be biased, we’ll see about that.
“I know they were the first time. but it’s an opportunity for me to get to tell the American people how I think we can make their lives better and how Donald Trump’s policies can make them more prosperous,” he said.
What time is the debate?
The debate is scheduled to take place in New York City, according to CBS News. It is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET on October 1.
The network had proposed four possible dates: Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 1 and Oct. 8, with both candidates settling on Oct 1.
Tim Walz and JD Vance. With the vice presidential debate around the corner, both candidates are preparing for the head-to-head.
Andrew Harnik/Drew Hallowell/Getty Images
Who is moderating the debate?
The vice presidential debate will have two moderators: CBS Evening News host Norah O’Donnell, alongside and CBS News foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan.
Norah O’Donnell has a strong background in politics and big interviews, having previously worked as CBS’s White House Correspondent. She has worked at the broadcaster for 13 years.
Margaret Brennan was one of the first reporters to interview then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over the Benghazi scandal, and moderates discussion on Face the Nation. Her expertise on foreign policy means she will likely lead the discussion on that area.
This will be the first presidential debate this election with no male moderator.
What is the format for the debate?
CBS News has not yet confirmed how this debate will be formatted.
All previous presidential debates this election have featured muted microphones controlled by the moderators, and have not had audiences.
What’s at stake for Vance?
There is a lot riding on the senator for Ohio’s performance. After Trump’s first and only debate with Kamala Harris, almost all audiences judged Harris to have won the debate, giving her campaign fresh momentum.
With many viewing the vice presidential debate as the follow-up to that encounter, Vance will need to reassure any voters disappointed in Trump’s performance, while also staving off Walz’s well-defined attack lines on abortion.
Vance may be called on to address the “weird” attacks that Walz popularized, which could be a tricky thing to do in person.
His comments on “crazy cat ladies”, which were referenced in Taylor Swift‘s decision to endorse the Harris campaign, may also be brought up. Vance has distanced himself from the comments since becoming the vice presidential nominee, but with Walz onstage as well, it might be harder for him to explain what he meant.
What’s at stake for Walz?
By contrast, Walz will be looking to solidify the Harris campaign’s happiness with the first presidential debate, which was the source of several viral moments that have circulated well since then.
Walz will likely stick to lines the Harris campaign knows plays well, such as criticizing Vance and Trump’s stance on abortion. With many parts of the Harris-Trump debate now regular parts of the Democrats‘ political ads, Walz may be looking to recreate similar moments in his exchange.
What are the key policies to discuss?
The economy remains the most important issue among voters, and it’s one that both campaigns are seeking legitimacy on. Vance is likely to repeat Trump’s criticisms of financial institutions such as the Federal Reserve.
Walz will be more focused on highlighting better economic forecasts under the Biden administration, and will look to cut Trump’s small but healthy lead on the economy in the minds of voters.
According to recent polling from Gallup, Americans tend to favor the Republicans on the economy, where they have a 24 percent lead over Democrats, and immigration, where they have a 22 percent lead.
Immigration
Immigration was the defining topic of debate for the last head-to-head, with Trump’s claims about Springfield immigrants eating pets becoming the standout moment of the exchange.
Vance has since doubled down on those statements and backed his running mate’s stance on immigation, and may do so again with a larger audience watching.
Walz, for his part, will be happy to discuss Springfield; the Harris campaign sees it as a winning argument that steers too close to racism, and Walz is well prepared to flex his own Midwestern credentials on the topic.
Abortion
The Harris campaign’s strongest issue is abortion, and while Walz makes for an unlikely communicator on women’s rights, he has a strong backstory with IVF that he’s used repeatedly during rallies.
Vance and Trump have struggled to balance appeasing more conservative voices on abortion with moderation. Walz, who was proven himself happy to go on the attack towards Vance, may exploit this.
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