Who won the Vance-Walz vice presidential debate?

Tuesday night’s vice-presidential debate between Republican JD Vance and Democrat Tim Walz felt like a public and heated debate about the issues that matter to American voters in the November 5 election.

In that, it was unlike the two presidential debates earlier this year.

The two men spent more time attacking each other’s partner than the other during the 90-plus minute interview on CBS News in New York.

Walz got off to a shaky start but hit the ground running when he talked about abortion and the chaos in the Capitol.

But the heated, policy-oriented debate, with few strokes of political parties, probably served Vance — a polished public speaker — best in the end.

If Vance was elected because he put ideological meat on the bones of Trump’s conservative populism, on Tuesday night he put a dignified, humble face on it, too.

“What these guys are doing is they’re making a lot of claims about if Donald Trump is going to be president, there’s going to be all these negative consequences,” he said. “But in reality, Donald Trump was president. Inflation was low. Household income was high.”

There were times when the Republican candidate lashed out at what he thought was a wrong look at the two CBS moderators, and at one point the microphones of both candidates were temporarily silenced.

But for the most part, the exchanges on stage were fierce.

And there were a few times when the two men agreed on issues – and said so.

“There’s a lot of similarities here,” Walz said late in the evening.

When Walz talked about his 17-year-old son witnessing a shooting at a community center, Vance seemed genuinely concerned.

“I’m sorry about that and I hope he’s doing well,” she said. “Christ have mercy, it’s too bad.”

The sharpest disagreement came toward the end of the debate, on the topic of Trump’s repeated and false allegations that the 2020 election was stolen from him.

Vance, when asked if Trump lost the last presidential election, dodged the question and criticized what he said was the scrutiny of Kamala Harris.

Walz quickly realized that “it wasn’t a bad answer”.

“The denial of what happened on January 6, is the first time that an American president or anyone else has tried to overturn an election. this has to stop,” he said. “It’s dividing our country.”

Walz went on to say that the only reason Mike Pence, Trump’s former vice president, wasn’t on stage was because he ensured the victory of President Joe Biden.

Vance had no answer to that, emphasizing that despite his friendly and agreeable nature, he would not break away from Trump’s position.

Vance and Walz entered this debate with different skill sets. Vance appeared with reporters on television throwing heated words at each other. Walz is at home on the campaign trail, using his traditional style unlike most civilized politicians.

At the start of the debate, with both candidates standing backstage in a New York City television studio, Vance seemed more relaxed. His answers were smooth, and relentlessly on message, constantly reminding the audience that for all the promises of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrats have held the White House for the past three and a half years.

“If Kamala Harris has such great plans to solve the problems of the middle class, she should do it now,” he said.

Walz, for his part, appeared tentative and uncertain in the first headline, addressing Tuesday’s Iranian missile attack on Israel and whether the candidates would support a preemptive Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The Minnesota governor rarely talks about foreign policy, and his discomfort on the subject was evident.

The Democrat settled down as the debate wore on, and during his exchange with Vance on the topic of immigration — an area of ​​Republican strength — both delivered well-crafted messages.

Vance dismissed allegations that he spread false claims about Haitian immigrants stealing and eating pets in Ohio.

“The people I’m most concerned about in Springfield, Ohio, are the American citizens whose lives have been ruined because of Kamala Harris’ border laws,” he said.

Vance said undocumented immigration is draining city resources, driving up prices and driving down wages.

Walz pointed to Trump’s opposition to the proposed two-person immigration law earlier this year.

“I believe that Senator Vance wants to solve this, but by standing with Donald Trump and not working together to find a solution, it becomes a matter of talking, and when it becomes a matter of talking like this, we humiliate and embarrass other people.”

When the topic turned to abortion rights — an area of ​​strength for Democrats, according to polls — it was Vance who played defensive, admitting that Republicans must do more to win the trust of American voters.

“I want us as the Republican Party to be full supporters of the family,” he said. “I want to make it easier for mothers to be able to have children. There is a lot we can do in society. It’s just a policy to give women more options.”

Walz responded that the Democratic view on abortion is simple: “We support women. We are fighting for freedom of choice.”

If Walz was more focused on abortion, he declined to attack when the topic turned to gun control.

After Vance said it was important to increase school security, making doors and windows “harder,” Walz spoke about background checks rather than endorsing Democrats’ calls for assault weapons bans and other gun restrictions.

As a member of congress, Walz often voted for gun rights and opposed many gun control measures, earning the praise of the pro-gun National Rifle Association. During the debate he said his views on gun control changed after the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012, but some Democrats may be disappointed that he didn’t press Vance more Tuesday night.

The history of American politics suggests that vice presidential debates don’t really matter.

In 1988, Democrat Lloyd Bentsen unseated Republican Dan Quayle. A few months later, Quayle was sworn in as vice president after his ticket won by a landslide.

It may turn out that this debate is similar to the November results. Unless a last-minute debate is announced, however, it will be the last word both parties have on the debate stage before Election Day.

Walz didn’t hurt the Democratic ticket and showed some of the midwestern charm that got Harris elected.

But Vance’s strong performance is likely to cheer Republicans in the coming days.

And the lasting impact of the debate could be to convince members of his own party that the Ohio senator — only 40 years old — has a future in state politics, given his ability to clearly advance their priorities in the caucuses.