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Walz-Vance debate updates: VP candidates tangle on abortion, immigration and Jan. 6

Walz and Vance squared off for the first and only time this election cycle.

ByAlexandra Hutzler, Ivan Pereira, Meredith Deliso, Brittany Gaddy, and Tal Axelrod
Last Updated: October 1, 2024, 11:54 PM EDT

Vice presidential candidates Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance squared off for the first and only time this election season.

Unlike the last two presidential debates, the candidates appeared to be more cordial. However, both running mates criticized the presidential candidates on a host of issues including gun violence, reproductive rights, immigration and climate change.

Walz appeared to have nerves in the opening of debate, but went on the attack as the night went on. Vance took aim at Harris and her policies and pushed Trump's policies.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing:
Oct 01, 2024, 3:42 PM EDT

Walz taking debate 'very seriously': Harris campaign spokesperson

Ahead of Tuesday's debate, Adrienne Elrod, Harris campaign senior adviser and spokesperson, made an appearance on ABC News Live and said that Walz is taking it "very, very seriously."

"Gov. Walz is taking this debate very, very seriously because you understand the magnitude of this moment," Elrod said. "He's going to continue to really talk about the Harris-Walz priorities, what their administration would look like, lowering costs for middle class families, protecting the Affordable Care Act, not getting rid of it."

-ABC News' Casey McShea

Oct 01, 2024, 2:56 PM EDT

CBS News says mics won't be muted for VP debate

CBS News, the network hosting the debate, said that the candidates' microphones will not be muted, but clarified in a press release that it "reserves the right to turn off candidate microphones."

This is a shift from the CNN presidential debate in June and the ABC News presidential debate held earlier this month, where microphones were muted unless it was the candidate's turn to speak.

PHOTO: Republican Vice Presidential nominee Senator JD Vance speaks in Phoenix, Arizona, Sept. 5, 2024. | Vice President candidate and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaks in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Sept. 12, 2024.
Republican Vice Presidential nominee Senator JD Vance speaks at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona, Sept. 5, 2024. | Vice President candidate and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaks at a rally at the Grand Rapids Public Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Sept. 12, 2024.
Go Nakamura/Reuters | Brett Farmer/Shutterstock

Read more here.

-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim

Oct 01, 2024, 2:50 PM EDT

Emmer says Vance will hold Walz 'accountable' during VP debate

Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., praised Vance on "This Week" Sunday, saying the Ohio senator will do a "great job" on Tuesday night and that "he's got the issues on his side."

"Vance could talk about the economy that Donald Trump fixed and that Harris and Biden broke. He can talk about the border that Trump fixed and they broke. He can talk about peace and stability around the world, which they don't even have a clue [about]; they've caused all of this disruption," Emmer said. "Once he understands that Tim Walz is just going to try and deflect and go into this folksy whatever, he'll hold him accountable."

Republican Majority Whip Tom Emmer appears on "This Week," Sept. 29, 2024.
ABC News

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Oct 01, 2024, 1:37 PM EDT

Why VP debates aren't all that important

Typically, fewer people watch vice presidential debates than presidential debates. And while presidential debates are historically one of the few things that can actually make a dent in the polls, vice presidential debates don't have the same track record.

According to Nielsen, since 2008, presidential debates have drawn an average audience of 65.7 million people. But vice presidential debates have drawn an average of just 54.1 million viewers. But 54.1 million people is still a pretty big audience -- so have past vice presidential debates actually changed the trajectory of the race?

That turns out to be a tricky question to answer. Read more here.

PHOTO: Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaks during a campaign rally, Aug. 9, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance speaks to supporters, Sept. 25, 2024, in Traverse City, Mich.
Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaks during a campaign rally, Aug. 9, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance speaks to supporters during a campaign event at the Northwestern Michigan Fair grounds, Sept. 25, 2024, in Traverse City, Mich.
Getty Images

-538’s Nathaniel Rakich and Amina Brown