TOLEDO, Ohio — We are just 35 days from Election Day, and one expert said the Vice Presidential debate Tuesday night could add some clarity to the 2024 campaign.
Dr. Sam Nelson, a political science professor with the University of Toledo, said the debate is a great time to get to know the candidates that are second-in-line to the U.S. presidency.
This is the first time Democratic VP nominee Tim Walz and Republican VP nominee JD Vance will face off, and likely the only time as well.
Nelson said these nominees are not very well known nationally. He said it's important to watch Tuesday night's debate to get to know the nominees, who could be filling a very important role.
Nelson said when we watch the debate, we should be looking for key aspects including if the nominees hit the same key themes as their presidential counterparts, and if the VP nominees agree - or disagree - with their candidates' issues.
He encouraged the public to examine the qualifications of the nominees, as well as how they may handle being president if they ever have to step up.
Nelson also said this debate will be moderated differently from the Sept. 9 debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and Former President Donald Trump.
"They (the moderators) are not going to do fact checking during the debate," Nelson said. "That is why I think it could really be a train wreck if it's up to the candidates to fact check their opponents. I don't know what that's going to look like. That can get really messy, and I think that there are going to be some difficult questions for them to answer."
With the possibility of heated exchanges, Nelson said he is watching for the viral moments that may impact young voters when they watch clips online Wednesday.
"This is really the last opportunity before the election in five weeks to see a national face-off from the campaign," Nelson said. "From here on out it's just going to be them on their own in all of the different swing states. So it may be a great opportunity for people to learn things that they don't know right now."
The 90-minute debate kicks off at 9 p.m. tonight on CBS, which will be aired on WTOL 11.