Kamala Harris’s campaign announced on Thursday that she will participate in two presidential debates with her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, while their running mates will face off once. This move aims to resolve recent disagreements over the debate schedule.
The two campaigns had previously agreed on one presidential debate scheduled for September 10 and a vice-presidential debate on October 1. However, Trump’s campaign had been advocating for two additional presidential debates in September and an extra vice-presidential debate.
“The debate about debates is over,” the Harris campaign stated. “Donald Trump’s campaign has accepted our proposal for three debates: two presidential and one vice-presidential.” The campaign added that, “assuming Donald Trump actually participates on September 10,” Harris’s running mate, Tim Walz, will debate Trump’s vice-presidential candidate, JD Vance, on October 1. Another presidential debate between Harris and Trump is set for later in October.
Harris’s late entry into the race, replacing President Joe Biden following concerns about his age and popularity, has turned the election campaign into a fast-paced race similar to those seen in European elections.
As the first female, Black, and South Asian vice president, Harris is aiming to make history as the first woman president and is working to connect with voters ahead of the November 5 election.
Harris and Walz will head to the Democrats’ national convention in Chicago next week with a strong start, having overturned Trump’s polling lead, set fundraising records, and drawn large crowds to their rallies.
CBS reported on Wednesday that it had offered four potential vice-presidential debates in September and October to Walz and Vance. Both accepted the October 1 date, which is after early voting begins in several states. Vance suggested an earlier debate on September 18, which he said had been offered by CNN, and criticized “fake debates” with no live audience, like the June 27 debate between Trump and Biden that impacted the Democrat’s reelection bid.
The September 10 debate between Harris and Trump will be hosted by ABC News, a network Trump had previously criticized due to a legal dispute with its executives.
