The running mates of White House contenders Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have agreed to go head-to-head in at least one vice-presidential debate. Both teams have accepted an invitation from CBS News for an October 1 showdown.
On Wednesday, CBS announced on social media platform X that it had proposed four potential debate dates in September and October to Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Ohio’s Republican Senator J.D. Vance. Walz responded, “See you on October 1, JD,” before the Harris campaign officially confirmed their participation, which comes after early voting has already begun in several states.
Vance also accepted the October 1 date and suggested an additional debate on September 18, offered by CNN, emphasizing that “the American people deserve as many debates as possible.”
There were initial doubts about whether the debate would happen at all. Vance indicated his openness to the October 1 debate in a Wednesday interview with Fox News but expressed reluctance to participate in what he called “fake debates” without a live audience, referencing the June 27 debate between Trump and Biden.
Harris and Trump are set to have their own debate on September 10, hosted by ABC News, and Harris has indicated she is open to considering additional debates proposed by her opponent.
Harris’s late entry into the presidential race—stepping in for President Joe Biden after his withdrawal amid concerns over his age and declining popularity—has turned the campaign into a fast-paced sprint to election day, more typical of European elections.
Already a trailblazer as the first female, Black, and South Asian vice president, Harris is now aiming to make history as the first woman president. She is working hard to connect with voters ahead of the November 5 election.
Harris and Walz will attend the national convention in Chicago next week, riding the momentum of a strong start that has seen them close the polling gap with Trump, break fundraising records, and draw large, enthusiastic crowds to their rallies.
In most of the key swing states that typically decide U.S. elections, Harris is now either tied with or leading Trump, who stunned the world with his 2016 victory but was defeated by Biden in 2020.
