CNN
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Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance and his Democratic counterpart, Tim Walsh, are set to participate in a CBS-hosted debate on Oct. 1, with the Ohio senator accepting the invitation Thursday and the Minnesota governor doing the same a day later.
Vance accepted CNN’s invitation to a vice presidential debate this fall, but the Kamala Harris campaign declined a second on-stage showdown between the two running mates.
“The debate about the debates is over. “Donald Trump’s campaign has accepted our proposal for three debates — two presidential and a vice presidential debate,” Harris campaign spokesman Michael Tyler said in a statement Thursday.
Harris and Trump agreed to meet on September 10 for a presidential debate on ABC. Trump also agreed to debates on Fox News and NBC. Harris is open to an additional debate with the former president in October, a senior campaign adviser told CNN, but the details won’t be settled until the first debate is on the books.
Traditionally, there is only one vice presidential debate per election cycle, although Vance on Thursday called for “as many debates as we can.” He responded on social media “Tim Walls refuses to line up!” to the news that his Republican Party had committed to a single debate. (Vance has accused Walls of leaving the Army National Guard to run for Congress to serve in Iraq.)
A CNN spokeswoman said Thursday that the network has invited both Vance and Walls to a fall debate.
“We are always in contact with campaigns about the opportunities the American public is hearing from the leading candidates for President and Vice President of the United States,” the spokesperson said.
Vance, whom Trump named as his running mate last month, said earlier Thursday on social media He said he was “looking forward” to debating Walls.
“The American people deserve as many debates as possible, which is why President Trump has already challenged three of them. Not only will I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, but the CNN debate on September 18th. I look forward to seeing you at both!” He wrote.
Walls, who joined Harris on the Democratic ticket last week, accepted the CBS invitation on Wednesday. They write on social media“See you on October 1st, JT.”
CBS News gave the candidates two dates in September and two in October as options for debates in New York City.
Speaking to reporters Thursday after a campaign stop outside Pittsburgh, Vance called for more debate, accusing Walls and his ticket mate Harris of running “out of every media interview.”
“I think we should have as many discussions as we can,” he said in New Kensington, Pennsylvania.
“President Trump has invited Kamala Harris to three debates. She only admitted one thing. Tim Walls, I think we’ve agreed to have a debate on October 1st,” the senator said. “CNN wants to hold a debate in mid-September. I said, ‘Yes, absolutely,’ because the American people deserve it.”
Asked by CNN about the rules for vice presidential debates, Vance said his team “didn’t really ask for much or demand much.”
“We wanted to make sure we had an opportunity to exchange real ideas,” Vance said. “That was my only directive, and I told my staff, ‘Accept what we have to agree to,’ because, again, I think it’s important to stand up to the American people and ask for their vote. Pretend you’re going to be given that.”
In May, before President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, Harris accepted an invitation from CBS to discuss Trump’s future running mate on either July 23 or August 13. Trump said at the time on his Truth Community site that he had accepted his campaign invitation. For his future partner to participate in the Fox News debate.
Following Biden’s departure and Harris’ rapid rise in the Democratic Party, Vance expressed disappointment that he would not have the chance to face Harris on stage.
“I was told I was going to debate Kamala Harris, and now President Trump is going to debate her? If I’m being honest with you, I’m angry about it,” Vance said last month at a hometown rally in Middletown, Ohio.
This story has been updated with additional information.
