Here’s Who Is Prepping Tim Walz and JD Vance for Debate

With just a few days until the vice presidential debate, Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance are preparing for their head-to-head in very different ways.

The debate, scheduled for October 1, could be the last time representatives from the campaigns formally meet onstage, as former President Donald Trump has ruled out any other debates with Vice President Kamala Harris.

Tim Walz’s Debate Prep Team

Pete Buttigieg

As one of the Biden administration’s top communicators and a surprisingly frequent Fox News contributor, the transport secretary is very comfortable on the debate stage. Buttigieg, who also has strong Midwestern credentials, has been prepping Walz by pretending to be Vance in mock debates, throwing hard questions to the vice presidential hopeful.

Zayn Siddique

Siddique is a top lawyer and a long-term political advisor to the Biden administration. He helped both Biden and Harris prepare for their debates with Trump, and has a strong background with the policies Walz might be called on to defend.

Liz Allen

Walz’s campaign chief of staff Liz Allen has years of experience running successful vice presidential candidacies, spearheading Harris’ campaign as President Joe Biden’s running mate in 2020.

Chris Schmitter

Schmitter is Walz’s chief of staff as well as a senior advisor to the Harris campaign. He’s worked with Walz longer than the rest of the team and helped him get elected to the governor’s mansion in Minnesota.

Also on the team:

• Kate Berner, a senior adviser to Walz’s team from Biden’s staff who is predicting how Vance will act.
• Michael Tyler, the Harris campaign communications director.

JD Vance’s Debate Prep Team

Jacob Reses

One of Vance’s closest friends and his campaign’s chief of staff, Reses manages most of Vance’s day-to-day political strategy, according to Politico. He has close connections with other prominent members of the Republican party, including his old boss Sen. Josh Hawley, and previously worked at conservative think-tank the Heritage Foundation, the organization behind Project 2025.

Jason Miller

Miller is one of the Trump campaign’s most senior advisors, and worked closely with Trump for his debate with Harris.

In contrast to the Walz campaign, Vance has kept his debate prep to himself, and has sometimes mentioned at his rallies that his real preparation is “talking with ordinary Americans.”

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