Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance are set to face off in this election season’s vice presidential debate on Tuesday evening. The debate, to be held in New York City, will give the Democratic and Republican running mates the chance to support their respective presidential tickets.

Who is hosting first VP debate, who are the moderators and what are the rules?

The vice presidential debate is being hosted by CBS News and will be moderated by two of that network’s more prominent journalists: Norah O’Donnell, anchor and managing editor for CBS Evening News and Face the Nation moderator and Margaret Brennan, moderator of Face the Nation and CBS News’ chief foreign affairs correspondent. The rules for the debate will be somewhat different than the debate between Vice President Harris and former President Trump that ABC News hosted in September. For instance, whereas the presidential debate moderators muted the microphones of Harris or Trump while the other was speaking, both Walz and Vance will have their microphones on for the entire debate, creating the opportunity for them to interrupt one another.

When does the VP debate come on?

The 2025 vice presidential debate will air at 9 p.m. EST and last 90 minutes. Though it is hosted by CBS News, but will be broadcast on all major broadcast networks like ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and PBS, as well as cable news channels such as CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News. The event will also stream on platforms like YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV.

Controversy over lack of on-air fact checking

In another and more controversial change from last month’s presidential debate, CBS News has announced that the moderators will not fact check the candidates’ statements, leaving it up to the two politicians to challenge one another over the accuracy of their comments. Critics have accused CBS of bowing to conservative pressure after Trump supporters complained about the ABC News moderators fact checking Trump multiple times for his more outlandish debate comments, such as his false claims about Haitian migrants – a story that Vance has also pushed.

After the initial announcement, CBS later said that it would be conducting online fact-checking during the debate, a clarification that did not satisfy many critics.

Expect policy and personal challenges

As the two vice presidential candidates square off, Vance will likely accuse Walz of being a radical liberal and challenge his record on abortion and LGBTQ rights in Minnesota. Walz is in turn expected to attack Vance and Trump as conservative extremists on these issues, possibly highlighting Vance’s past relationship to people involved in crafting Project 2025. If the campaigns this summer are any indication of how the debate will go, the attacks between the two vice presidential candidates may become personal as well. Vance, a former Marine who served in Iraq, previously accused Walz, a 24-year veteran of the National Guard, of “stolen valor” over accusations that Walz exaggerated his service and accomplishments. Meanwhile, Walz was responsible for labeling Vance and Trump “weird,” a critic that became one of the most effective talking points against the Republican candidates.

If Trump continues to refuse to meet Harris for a second debate, the showdown between Vance and Walz may be the last time the two tickets directly square off in front of the American people. Either way, the debate is an important moment for both campaigns before Election Day arrives just over a month from now.

2024 ElectionJD VanceTim Walz