Sen. JD Vance of Ohio and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are set to face off in the only scheduled vice presidential debate before the November election. Both Vance and Walz are relatively new to the national political scene, with Vance being elected in 2022, less than two years before being selected as Donald Trump’s running mate. Walz, on the other hand, has had a long career in politics but was largely unknown outside of Minnesota before joining Kamala Harris’ Democratic ticket. The debate is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday and will run for 90 minutes, moderated by Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City.
Trump, who was a lifelong resident of New York City before changing his primary residence to Florida in 2019, has expressed confidence in winning New York in the upcoming election, despite losing the state to President Biden in 2020 by over 20 points. Both campaigns have agreed to a 90-minute debate with two four-minute commercial breaks, during which campaign staff are not allowed to interact with the candidates. There will be no audience present, and the moderators will introduce the candidates in order of the incumbent party, with Walz first. The candidates will have two minutes to answer questions and two minutes to respond, with one minute for rebuttals and the possibility of an additional minute for further discussion at the moderators’ discretion.
Unlike the presidential debates, a candidate’s microphone will not be muted when their opponent is speaking, but CBS News reserves the right to turn off the microphones if necessary. Vance won a virtual coin toss and opted to go second with his closing statement, with each candidate having two minutes to make their concluding remarks. Topics and questions will not be shared with the campaigns in advance, ensuring a level playing field for both candidates. The debate will be broadcast on CBS starting at 8 p.m. ET on CBS broadcast stations and affiliates, and can be streamed on the CBS News app, Paramount+, and all platforms where CBS News 24/7 is available, including CBSNews.com and YouTube. Coverage of the debate on CBS News 24/7 begins at 4 p.m. ET.
The debate will be a crucial opportunity for both Vance and Walz to make their case to the American people, as they seek to secure the vice presidency in the upcoming election. With the stakes high and the country facing a range of complex issues, including the ongoing pandemic, economic recovery, and national security challenges, voters will be looking for clarity and leadership from both candidates. The lack of an audience and the structured format of the debate will provide a focused environment for the candidates to present their views and engage in a substantive discussion on key policy issues. The outcome of the debate could have a significant impact on the election, as voters evaluate the two candidates and their vision for the country’s future.
