Walz and Vance Face Off in Vice Presidential Debate

The lone vice presidential debate of the 2024 election is set to take place on Tuesday, featuring Republican JD Vance and Democrat Tim Walz as they go head-to-head for the first time. The debate, hosted by CBS News in New York, offers a fresh opportunity for the running mates to introduce themselves, vouch for their bosses, and fulfill their role as attack dogs. The matchup is highly anticipated, especially considering the new AP-NORC poll suggests Walz is better liked than Vance. The Republican has a steeper challenge ahead of him, with only a quarter of registered voters having a somewhat or very favorable view of him, while about half have an unfavorable view. On the other hand, Walz is viewed positively by about 4 in 10 voters and negatively by about 3 in 10.The debate will likely focus on abortion rights, views on family life, and the economy. Vance has been critical of Walz's progressive record, while Walz has hammered Vance's opposition to abortion rights and his views on family life. Both men have played up their small-town, middle-America credentials, which could play a significant role in their debate performance. The fact-checking onus will be on the candidates, as CBS has announced that they will be responsible for keeping each other honest during the debate. This change comes after previous debates saw fact-checking handled by moderators. It will be interesting to see how the running mates perform, as they look to make a strong case for their bosses and win over the dwindling slice of persuadable voters.