Vance, Walz face off in vice-presidential debate

Senator JD Vance and Governor Tim Walz shake hands

The debate was 'something that's become increasingly rare in modern American politics: normal,' CNN said

(Image credit: Michele Crowe / CBS via Getty Images)

published 2 October 2024

What happened

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) and Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) faced off Tuesday night in their only scheduled vice-presidential debate. The 90-minute debate, hosted by CBS News in New York, was widely described as cordial and policy-focused, with substantive exchanges on abortion, immigration, housing, health care and democracy.

Who said what

The debate was "something that's become increasingly rare in modern American politics: normal," CNN said. Vance attacked Walz's running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Walz went after Donald Trump, but the two VP nominees disagreed with each other "the way typical Americans argue about contentious issues."

Walz's performance "wasn't great," especially at first, while Vance "appeared much more comfortable in his own skin," Aaron Blake said at The Washington Post. Walz's roughest moment was his rambling acknowledgment he "misspoke" about being in Hong Kong during China's Tiananmen Square massacre — he arrived two months afterward. He was, he said, a "knucklehead at times."

But toward the end of the night, "Walz delivered the argument that Democrats wanted" on abortion rights and Vance's fealty to Trump and his lie about winning the 2020 election, David Weigel said at Semafor. "Did he lose the 2020 election?" Walz asked Vance. "Tim, I'm focused on the future," Vance said, a reply Walz called a "damning non-answer." On Jan. 6, 2021, Walz told Vance, "when Mike Pence made that decision to certify that election, that's why Mike Pence isn't on this stage."

A CBS News-YouGov snap poll of 1,630 likely voters who watched the debate found that 42% thought Vance won while 41% said Walz did, with 17% calling it a tie.

What next?

The debate, CNN said, is "unlikely to change the trajectory of the presidential race." Trump reiterated afterward that he wouldn't debate Harris again, despite her goading, and CBS News said he backed out of a scheduled "60 Minutes" interview with Scott Pelley next Monday; Harris will still participate in the long-running election special.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.