It will star Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz as Senator JD Vance’s last vice president. A source directly involved in the preparations told NBC News of the discussions’ rehearsals.
These final sessions will cover more than a month of work as Vance, an Ohio Republican, prepares to face Walz in New York next week.
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign, including key members of Vance’s team, has been honing his debate strategy for more than a month, the source said. The approach includes in-person and virtual practice sessions over Zoom, as well as “kill boards”—a process designed to work through potentially difficult questions.
The source said Vance’s closest political advisers included senior Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller and Vance’s wife, Usha, who attended the sessions. Those helping with the preparation dug into old videos of Walz’s past campaigns in a swing congressional district and previous debates between two candidates for governor.
Emmer’s selection as a stand-in for Walz provides Vance’s team with another Minnesotan and someone with deep Midwest roots like Vance and Walz. Emmer emphasized that the majority of the House of Representatives is the whip his past as a youth hockey coach. Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign is highlighted Walz’s experience coaching high school football.
“The main focus was familiarity [Vance] With Valz’s debating style and political positions,” said a source involved in the preparation. “The main goal is to destroy Waltz’s moderate image.”
The source added that Vance has plenty of experience responding to attacks on him on social media and other forums.
In his first and so far only re-election campaign, Vance faced then-Rep. Tim Ryan will run for an open US Senate seat in Ohio. Horse their final discussionRyan accused Vance of supporting the “grand replacement theory.” It’s a conspiracy theory that broadly states that a cabal of Jewish-led liberals is trying to seize power by replacing white voters with non-whites by any means necessary, including immigration and interracial marriage.
“When the media and people like Tim Ryan accuse me of engaging in the grand replacement theory, that’s exactly what it is,” Vance responded. “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 would accuse me, the father of three beautiful biracial babies, of being racist. We are tired of it. You can believe in the border without being a racist.”
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is playing the role of Vance in Waltz’s debate preparation, a source familiar with the rehearsals said. Waltz’s preparations are led by assistants Rob Friedlander and Zayn Siddique. Siddique was also part of Harris’ debate preparation before his final showdown with Trump.
Walz’s team also includes consultant Liz Allen, Harris-Walz communications director Michael Tyler and longtime aide Chris Schmitter, who has led Walz’s gubernatorial campaigns.
Harris-Walz spokeswoman Emily Soong said, “This debate will be another clear opportunity for Governor Walz to present Vice President Harris’ winning vision of a new Forward to the American people who are ready to turn the page on Donald Trump.”
Catherine Koretsky contributed.