In what is expected to be a sharp and combative debate, US vice presidential candidates JD Vance and Tim Walz will face off on Tuesday, aiming to win over voters in the battleground states of the heartland. Both candidates hope their performance in the 2024 election will sway key blue-collar voters and help propel their potential runningmates to the White House.
Vance, 40, a Republican senator from Ohio, is known for his provocative rhetoric, which often provokes Controversy over his misogynistic attacks and spreading misinformation about migrants.
His Democratic counterpart, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, 60, is a relative newcomer to the national stage who was chosen by Vice President Kamala Harris after criticizing Republican nominee Donald Trump and calling his veep pick Vance “weird.”
Walz will be aggressive
Tim Walz has been up since midnight preparing for the debate with a team of experienced advisers, some of whom also assisted him in the verbal sparring with Kamala Harris.
Walz is focused on presenting himself to a wider American audience, living up to his name Recognition is largely limited to Minnesota,
According to CNN, Walz has expressed nervousness about the debate and taking down Harris. A staffer on his campaign team said, “He knows he’s not the best debater, but he’s working hard to stay focused and control his nervousness.”
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stands in for Vance during Walz’s mock debate, helping Walz prepare for the encounter. The purpose of these mock debate sessions is to help the “good guy from Minnesota” sharpen his reactions and practice countering Vance’s aggressive debate style.
Walz is expected to take an aggressive stance, taking a swipe at Vance for his controversial comments about women and abortion, including his infamous jab at Harris, whom he mocked as a “childless cat lady” Was.
There’s a possibility he could also call Vance out for spreading false stories Haitian migrants are reportedly eating pets In Ohio.
Vance fine-tunes plan of attack
JD Vance has been preparing for the debate for more than a month, CBS News reports. His preparation has included “murder board” sessions with his wife, advisers and senior Trump adviser Jason Miller.
Vance told reporters last week that his goal was to articulate the Trump-Vance administration’s vision for making “life better” for Americans. He said, “We’re studying issues that matter to the American people and I’m eager to put it on the debate stage.”
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, a Minnesota Republican, stood in for Walz during the mock debate to help familiarize Vance with the Democrat’s mannerisms and speech patterns.
CBS News, citing sources, said Vance has focused on studying Walz’s debate style and policy record to formulate a plan of attack that targets his opponent’s left-wing policies.
He could also take aim at Walz’s military service and accuse him of abandoning his National Guard unit before deploying to Iraq. Additionally, Vance may attempt to dispute the use of fertility treatments by Walz and his wife, although the specifics of these claims have been strongly disputed.
The debate, hosted by CBS News, is scheduled to be broadcast live from New York on Tuesday at 9:00 pm (Wednesday 0100 GMT). Unlike other debates, CBS said the candidates’ mics would be on the entire time, giving Vance and Walz the opportunity to directly interrupt, challenge, and fact-check each other.
with Trump refused to participate in the second debate The 90-minute showdown with Harris among her running mates is expected to be one of the last major televised events before the election on November 5.
with inputs from agencies