What’s it like debating JD Vance? We asked the only Democrat who did that

Ohio Sen. JD Vance faces his biggest test yet on Tuesday when he meets Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on the debate stage, an opportunity for both vice presidential candidates to set the tone in a closely contested race for the White House .

And it won’t be the first time Vance has taken on a fiery Midwestern Democrat.

Vance debated then-U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan twice when he was running for an Ohio Senate seat in 2022. Back then, the author of “Hillbilly Elegy” was an articulate political newcomer who brought a lot of baggage with him for Ryan to take the stage . Much of this — from Vance’s past criticism of former President Donald Trump to his joke about “childless cat ladies” — is fair game for Walz as he seeks to paint the Trump-Vance ticket in a bad light.

More: What is it like debating Tim Walz?

This time, however, Vance has nearly two years in the Senate and several months of a vice presidential campaign under his belt. He has accepted more media interviews than anyone at the top of the list, including Trump, and often asks reporters questions in front of rally participants in battleground states. GOP strategist Mark Weaver said the experience made Vance a sharper and more confident politician.

Even Ryan acknowledged that his former opponent has strengths that could serve him well in Tuesday’s debate. For Walz to be successful, Ryan said, he had to keep Vance’s feet to the fire and “not let him get away with anything.”

“He’s able to somewhat articulate the intellectual underpinnings of Donald Trump’s rants,” Ryan said in an interview. “He is very smart. In my opinion there is no doubt about that. I wouldn’t call him stupid in any way.”

Race and crime dominate the heated debates between Vance and Ryan

Vance will debate Walz at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York, without an audience and with the microphones muted – a more structured environment than before. In 2022, he and Ryan often interrupted each other and exchanged personal attacks during their two-hour Senate debates.

“I have three small children, including a 2-year-old,” Vance said during a debate. “One of the things that is true of small children, and seems to be true of professional politicians, is that they accuse you of constantly doing exactly what they do.”

Vance and Ryan discussed topics likely to come up Tuesday, such as abortion and crime. Much like he does now, Vance recounted his mother’s struggle with a substance use disorder while advocating for tougher border security measures to stem the flow of illegal drugs. He also invoked the 2020 racial justice protests while attacking Ryan over law enforcement, a stance he is sure to revisit as Walz faces criticism for his handling of demonstrations in Minneapolis following the police killing of George Floyd has been dealt with.

Ryan’s counter-speaker: “Can you imagine a guy saying out of one side of his mouth that he’s pro-cop and out of the other side of his mouth that he’s raising money for the insurrectionists who beat up the Capitol Police?” “

However, the most heated moment came during the pair’s second debate, when Ryan accused Vance of supporting the grand replacement theory.

The conspiracy stokes fear of non-white immigrants pouring into the United States to weaken the political power of white Americans. Vance told Fox News in 2022 that Democrats would bring in new voters to win reelection, the Associated Press reported.

Vance was openly upset by Ryan’s comment, noting that he married an Indian-American woman and had children with her.

“This is exactly what happens when the media and people like Tim Ryan accuse me of pushing the grand replacement theory: My own children, my biracial children, are being attacked by scumbags online and in person because you are so desperate for political power that you “Accuse me, the father of three beautiful, biracial babies, of racism,” Vance said. “We’re tired of it. You can believe in a limit without being a racist.”

How is Vance preparing for the debate against Walz?

Allies of Vance know all too well that his earlier comments on Tuesday could be helpful for Walz.

According to a source familiar with the preparations, the Trump campaign hired Walz’s fellow Minnesotan, U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer, as governor in mock debates with Vance. Usha Vance and senior Trump adviser Jason Miller, as well as other top advisers in Vance’s circle, are also helping him prepare for debate day.

Vance hopes to use the debate to “expose Walz’s radical record and policy positions,” the source said.

Ryan believes Walz will come across as “much more personable and much more pragmatic” than Vance, who is viewed by both supporters and critics as a political wonk. A USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll in September found that 48% of likely voters had a favorable opinion of Walz, compared to 36% for Vance. The senator from Ohio was also less popular with independent voters.

With only five weeks remaining in the presidential race, both Vance and Walz must do everything they can to secure their tickets.

“The key to this election is which side is seen as the status quo and which side is seen as change?,” Weaver said. “To the extent that these candidates can influence that balance, that could have an impact.”

Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which covers the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: A history of JD Vance’s strategy ahead of the 2024 vice presidential debate