Campaign

What to know about the Walz-Vance debate

by Caroline Vakil - 09/30/24 12:56 PM ET

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) and Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) are set to go head-to-head on Tuesday night in their first and likely only debate as vice presidential contenders.

Walz and Vance have been barnstorming the country as they’ve looked to woo voters in critical swing states with just weeks to go before the election. The CBS News-hosted debate will offer viewers a rare opportunity to see both men side by side as they offer competing visions.

Though vice presidential debates are less likely to move the needle among voters, a major incident or gaffe could be a potential setback, particularly as early voting has already started in some states and both campaigns will need momentum to carry them into November.

When and where is it?

The debate is taking place at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City and will start at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

Who’s moderating and what are the rules?

CBS News is hosting the debate, with “CBS Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell and “Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan serving as moderators for the event.

The network released rules for the vice presidential debate on Friday; the event will last 90 minutes with candidates getting two short breaks. Walz, who will be situated on the stage to the viewers’ right, will be introduced first, as he represents the incumbent party, and Vance, who will be situated to the viewers’ left, will be introduced second.

Candidates will be given two minutes each to respond to the moderators’ questions, with one additional minute set aside for rebuttals. The moderators may allow a minute more to each candidate at their discretion.

There will be no live audience, similar to the debate between Vice President Harris and former President Trump. CBS noted that the network can turn off the candidates’ mics if it wants to.

Both Walz and Vance will be standing up the entire time, and no props or notes will be allowed to be used during the debate, nor will the campaigns be allowed to talk with either candidate during the two breaks. Paper, a pen and water will be given to both candidates.

Because Vance won an earlier coin toss, he’ll make his two-minute closing statement after Walz.

How are both teams prepping?

Vance is working with Rep. Tom Emmer on debate prep, with the Minnesota Republican playing Walz. Meanwhile, Walz is working with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who is playing Vance.

Vance has participated in debate prep both online through video conferences and at his home in Cincinnati, according to The New York Times.

“I’ve known Tim, oh, probably since he was first elected almost 20 years ago. And I worked with him directly for four years,” Emmer told ABC’s Martha Raddatz on Sunday. “I spent the last month just going back, all of his old stuff to get his phrases down, his mannerisms, that sort of thing. My job was to be able to play Tim Walz so JD Vance knows what he’s going to see.”

Emmer predicted Vance would perform well on Tuesday during his ABC News interview.

“Once he understands that Tim Walz is just going to try and deflect and go into this folksy whatever, he’ll hold him accountable. I think JD will do a great job,” Emmer said.

On a call with reporters Monday, the Trump campaign and others previewed that Vance would seek to put Democrats on defense over immigration and also attack Walz for the aftermath of protests that took place in his home state following George Floyd’s murder in 2020.

Some of the people involved in Walz’s debate prep include campaign advisers Zayn Siddique and Rob Friedlander, Harris campaign communicators director Michael Tyler, Walz chief of staff Liz Allen, his traveling chief of staff Sam Cornale and Walz aide Chris Schmitter, according to the Times.

The Times also noted that Walz has been doing debate prep around his campaign schedule, in Minnesota and also in Michigan.