‘He Loves the Sparring’: How JD Vance Plans to ‘Hammer’ Tim Walz During the Debate

“He loves the sparring because he knows he’s good at it, and it’s a venue for him to show off the intellectual-capacity difference between him and his opponent,” a source close to Vance said.

JD Vance
Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance speaks at a campaign rally at Middletown High School. Julia Nikhinson/AP

Sen. JD Vance is no stranger to debates — people close to him told NOTUS that he actually enjoys them — and those around him are not trying to lower expectations for Tuesday night.

During his first campaign for public office in 2022, Vance endured nearly a dozen debates against seasoned politicians as he ran for Ohio’s open Senate seat. It was during those debates that he first caught the eye of one person in particular: former President Donald Trump.

After Trump observed Vance’s performances, he decided to look past Vance’s previous critiques and endorse the “Hillbilly Elegy” author, a source close to Vance told NOTUS.