Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, is gearing up for the upcoming CBS Vice Presidential Debate on Oct. 1 against Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. According to a source familiar with Vance's preparations, he has been diligently reviewing plans, strategies, and practicing potential tough questions as he gets ready to face off against Walz. To help Vance prepare for Walz's "folksy" Midwestern style, House Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., has been enlisted to play the role of Walz during mock debates.

Vance has been conducting most of his preparations at his home in Cincinnati, along with participating in online sessions with his team. Key members of Vance's inner circle, including his wife Usha, and Trump campaign strategist Jason Miller, have been actively involved in preparing Vance for the debate. By immersing themselves in honing Walz's debate style through watching past debate videos from his previous campaign runs, Vance and his team are working diligently to be well-prepared for the upcoming challenge. The source also highlighted Vance's experience in engaging in debates during his frequent media appearances, where he has faced contentious network hosts and responded to attacks.

Furthermore, as part of Walz's debate preparations, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will be portraying JD Vance in mock debates. The Associated Press reported that Walz's team is actively getting ready for the debate showdown. While former President Trump shared on TRUTH Social that there would be no third debate following his debate with Harris, she, on the other hand, expressed willingness to participate in a debate hosted by CNN on Oct. 23. With Trump mentioning undertaking two debates compared to Harris's one, the race towards the Vice Presidential Debate continues to pick up pace as both candidates fine-tune their strategies and sharpen their debate skills leading up to the scheduled event in New York City.