Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will have to defend Vice President Kamala Harris’ “lengthy” record when he takes the debate stage Tuesday night, and former President Donald Trump’s campaign expects Sen. JD Vance to come out swinging.
But campaign officials were clear-eyed during a Monday call with reporters: Walz is very good in debates, Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller emphasized, describing Walz as a “wily political veteran” who has run countless campaigns and spent two decades in politics.
“I wanna repeat that: Tim Walz is very good in debates,” Miller said. “Really good. He’s been a politician for nearly 20 years, he’ll be very well prepared for tomorrow night. He’s not going to be the wildly gesticulating, effeminate caricature we see at rallies pointing to Kamala Harris and dancing about on the stage. Walz is going to be buttoned up. He’ll be ready to defend his own radical Left record in Minnesota, and in Washington before that, let’s not forget his time in Congress.”
Walz won’t hesitate to “lie on command,” Miller predicted.
“That’s not to say that JD Vance won’t be prepared tomorrow, or that somehow he isn’t up to the challenge,” Miller said. “JD Vance is great, that’s why President Trump picked him. JD has the life experience and the vision to make life better for Americans … and JD is ready to step up and lead.”
(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The press call followed a Monday morning CNN piece describing Walz as “just as nervous about facing JD Vance as he was the Sunday afternoon in August when he warned Kamala Harris in his running mate interview that he was a bad debater.” The CNN piece quotes sources close to Walz who allegedly described the vice presidential candidate as fearful of letting Harris down and helping Trump to win.
And while those close to Walz are telling CNN that he is nervous, Walz’s team is attempting to set expectations high for Vance, as the New York Times reported, highlighting Vance’s time at Yale.
Tuesday’s forum is the last candidate debate scheduled before Americans head to the polls in November.
Vance has been preparing by facing off with Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who also spoke on the Monday call.
“Honestly, the hardest part was learning how to tell lies with a straight face,” the congressman joked.
“JD Vance is prepared to wipe the floor with Tim Walz and expose him for the radical liberal he is,” he added.