The vice-presidential debate between Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio will take place tonight at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City.
Political analysts have suggested that while vice-presidential debates often have minimal impact on the race, this debate, the only one scheduled for the rest of this election cycle, could hold greater significance, offering one last chance for the candidates to capture the national spotlight.
Three weeks ago, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump faced off in a much-discussed debate, which most pundits and polls indicated Harris won. Since then, Harris has sought another debate, but Trump has declined.
Before joining their respective presidential tickets, Walz and Vance were relatively unknown outside their states. Walz, affectionately dubbed “Coach Walz” by supporters and VP Harris, boasts a storied background. Born in Nebraska, he spent 24 years in the National Guard before becoming a teacher, football coach, congressman, and governor of Minnesota.
Vance, meanwhile, served two years in the Senate before being selected as Trump’s running mate. He served four years in the USMC public affairs and eventually attended Yale Law School.
According to Pew Research, Vance holds the record for the lowest approval ratings for a vice-presidential candidate in history—on average, 42% have an unfavorable one, while just 34% have a favorable opinion of him.
Vance’s historically low disapproval numbers are due in part to a series of controversial remarks, including his disparaging comments about childless women and a false narrative he continues to promote about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield, OH.
Walz, who famously framed the Trump/Vance campaign’s vision of America as “weird,” fares better with an average +6 net favorability rating, as 39% of Americans hold a favorable opinion of him versus 33% unfavorable.
The debate allows both candidates to present themselves and their campaigns’ contrasting policies to a broad audience of Americans.
What to expect from the debate
Scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. CST on Tuesday, Oct. 1, the debate will last 90 minutes and feature two four-minute commercial breaks. It will be moderated by Norah O’Donnell, anchor of “CBS Evening News,” and Margaret Brennan, host of “Face the Nation.”
Like the presidential debate format, campaign staff will not be allowed to interact with the candidates during breaks, and there will be no live audience. Candidates are prohibited from using pre-written notes. Each candidate has two minutes to respond to questions and one minute for rebuttals. Extra time may be granted at the moderators’ discretion.
Unlike the presidential debate, microphones will remain active when an opponent speaks. Having won a coin toss, Vance will deliver the closing statement, with each candidate allotted two minutes for their final remarks. It has been reported that CBS will not do any fact-checking during the debate, which is another contrast to ABC’s presidential debate.