GOP declares Mike Pence winner of VP debate — 90 minutes before it begins

(Image credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

last updated 5 October 2016

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) faces off against Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in Farmville, Virginia, at 9 p.m. on Tuesday for their sole vice presidential debate. The Republican National Committee was obviously going to declare Pence the winner — just as the DNC will say Kaine won — but the GOP got a little ahead of itself.

Ooops. Or, perhaps the RNC knows exactly what it's doing, forecasting "highlighting Hillary's scandals" as a way to try and throw Kaine off his game. Either way, a win's a win, so maybe Daily Show producer Anthony De Rosa has the right idea. Peter Weber

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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.