As the prospect of a vice presidential debate between Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Ohio Senator JD Vance looms, social media users have resurfaced a potentially embarrassing incident for the Democrat. A screenshot from a 2022 Minnesota gubernatorial debate, showing Walz's opponent standing opposite an empty podium, has been widely shared, accompanied by the message, "Be careful, Tim Walz knows a thing or two about not showing up to debates."

According to reports, Walz declined an invitation to participate in a debate on October 23, 2022, during his re-election campaign as governor. The event was organized by KSTP as part of a series of back-to-back debates involving candidates running for various statewide offices that year. Moderators from KSTP confirmed that Walz had declined multiple invitations to appear.

The controversy first arose when Scott Jensen, Walz's former Republican opponent for governor, alleged that Walz had canceled several debates. However, Walz's campaign clarified that no debates were technically canceled as they were never agreed upon. Walz had already participated in a televised debate against Jensen, with a total of three debates between the two candidates.

The resurgence of this conversation comes amidst speculation of a potential debate between Governor Walz and his new rival, Senator Vance. Vance has confirmed his attendance at the October 1 debate and has even proposed an additional debate on September 18. He expressed his belief that the American people deserve as many debates as possible, referencing President Trump's challenge to Vice President Kamala Harris for three debates.

However, Senator Vance has faced some setbacks in recent polling. A YouGov survey revealed that nearly 29 percent of registered voters believed Vance would hinder Trump's chances of re-election, while 24 percent believed he would be an asset. Conversely, 42 percent believed that Governor Walz would aid Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign, while 16 percent thought he would have a negative impact.

The survey also asked respondents about their opinions on Walz and Vance as running mates for their respective presidential hopefuls. Approximately 47 percent believed Walz was a good choice, compared to 41 percent who felt the same about Vance.

It is worth noting that Governor Walz was announced as Vice President Harris' pick for the vice presidential role earlier this month. In addition to his political career, Walz has a background as a teacher and served as a non-commissioned Army officer.

As the debate between Governor Walz and Senator Vance draws closer, the public's interest in their past debate history and their potential impact as running mates remains high. The upcoming debates are expected to be pivotal moments in shaping public opinion ahead of the next presidential election.

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