Democrat Tim Walz and Republican JD Vance are set to face off Tuesday at 9 p.m. in the only scheduled vice presidential debate of the 2024 campaign.
Follow along with the Daily News as we provide regular updates on all the political action before, during and after the 90-minute showdown.
What to expect:
The debate, moderated by Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan, is hosted by CBS News and will be aired live on that network, along with others via simulcast. There will be no studio audience for the clash held at the network’s New York studios.
Unlike the Trump-Harris debate, the microphones for Walz and Vance will remain on even when it’s not their turn to speak, meaning there could be more interruptions or shouting from one candidate or the other.
The two major party nominees are expected to trade barbs with one another as well as attack the opposing presidential candidates, the traditional role of running mates in the campaign.
It’s unknown what questions may come up, but Vance will likely be asked about his controversial stance that parents should enjoy more political power than unmarried “childless cat ladies” and racist false claims that Haitian immigrants stole and ate pets in the city of Springfield, Ohio.
Walz will likely be questioned about abortion rights and questions about the way he has described his long service in the Army National Guard.
Both candidates may also be grilled about how they would handle crises like the Iranian attack on Israel earlier Tuesday or the still-unfolding catastrophe caused by Hurricane Helene in the southeast.
The VP debate could play a bigger role in this campaign than other recent races. It’s likely to be the last debate between any of the 2024 candidates as former President Trump has so far said he won’t take part in a second clash with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Walz comes into the debate with an advantage in favorability polls over Vance, who’s the least popular veep candidate in modern political history.
Still, the audience is likely to be significantly smaller than the nearly 70 million who tuned in for the presidential debate on Sept. 10.
The debate stakes are high as the race for the White House remains neck and neck.
In the hours leading up to face-off, Walz tweeted a pre-debate video pep talk sent to him by a group of his former high school students and football players.
“I often say: my students taught me more than I could ever teach them,” Walz tweeted. “Thank you for your support. Let’s do this.”
Harris tweeted an attack on JD Vance, calling him “an extremist determined to strip away our most fundamental freedoms.”
“He could be just one heartbeat away from the Oval Office,” she posted.
Vance’s only post on Tuesday was a plea for help for the victims of Hurricane Helene.
Trump did not mention the debate in any social media posts on Tuesday.