Will JD Vance debate Tim Walz?
Will there be a vice presidential debate? That remains unclear.
Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has chosen Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. But will there be a vice presidential debate?
That remains unclear.
At an event in South Philadelphia Tuesday, Vance said he “absolutely wanted to debate” Walz, but not until Walz officially becomes the Democrats’ vice presidential nominee following their convention in Chicago later this month.
Last month, Donald Trump’s campaign declined to commit to three dates for a vice presidential debate proposed by the then-Joe Biden campaign, citing the possibility the president could end his reelection campaign. Biden did ultimately decide to drop out of the race.
“We don’t know who the Democrat nominee for Vice President is going to be, so we can’t lock in a date before their convention,” Trump campaign senior adviser Brian Hughes said in a statement.
While the Democratic National Convention isn’t scheduled to begin until Aug. 19, Harris became the officially Democratic presidential nominee Monday night, thanks to a virtual roll call vote.
A vice presidential debate had been scheduled to take place at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa., on Sept. 25, but the event was canceled.
If the two don’t face off, it would be the first election cycle without a vice presidential debate since 1980, when Republican vice presidential nominee George H.W. Bush and his Democratic opponent, Walter Mondale, both refused to participate.
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump might not debate, either
There might not be another presidential debate, either. Trump backed out of a debate on ABC that, prior to Joe Biden dropping out of the race, had been scheduled for Sept. 10. In its place, Trump proposed a debate on Fox News on Sept. 4 in Pennsylvania that would involve a live audience.
“I’ll be there on September 10, like he agreed to,” Harris wrote on social media. “I hope to see him there.”
Vance is scheduled to be in the city Tuesday afternoon to speak to supporters at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia. Harris and Walz are set to debut as running mates Tuesday evening at the Liacouras Center in North Philadelphia. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who was passed over as Harris’ VP pick, will also be in attendance.