Vance and Walz Face Off in Potentially Pivotal Vice Presidential Debate Ahead Of 2024 Election

The vice-presidential debate Tuesday night between Republican JD Vance and Democrat Tim Walz was shaping up to be one of the last opportunities for voters to see the candidates -- albeit the vice-presidential candidates -- in a setting where they don't control of the narrative and will face difficult questions.

Both Senator Vance (R-OH) and Governor Walz (D-Minn.) face questions about their general qualifications for leadership. A new CBS News poll finds that a majority of voters think neither man is qualified to be president. 65 percent of Democratic voters, however, say they are enthusiastic about Walz, while just 49 percent of Republicans feel that way about Vance.

The debate promised the opportunity to change those perceptions.

New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik told CBS Mornings Tuesday she believed Vance would connect well with viewers. "I think tonight, you're going to see JD Vance tell his story, which is an extraordinary personal story only in America," Stefanik (R-N.Y.) said, "but he's gonna speak to those issues that matter to the American people." 

Walz, a Nebraska-born former teacher, also has a unique story that Americans would hear. "He's someone that will call things as they are," said Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). "He coined the phrase to describe the Republican ticket as 'weird', so it's not like he won't throw some punches. But the point is he's true to himself." 

Historically, vice presidential debates don't move the needle much, but some observers felt this debate, in connection to this election could be different. "We know that this is a very, very, very close race," said John Kane, a professor at NYU's Center for Global Affairs. "You have maybe 5 or 6 percent of the electorate still on the fence, still undecided, and little things could push them in one direction or another."