exclusive – Sen. J.D. Vance, the Republican vice presidential candidate, did not let the power outage derail his preparations for Tuesday's debate with Democratic vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
A person familiar with preparations for the Senate debate told Fox News Digital that former President Trump's vice presidential aide had participated in a series of homicide committee sessions with his team last month.
For those unfamiliar with the term, a murder commission is a group of people who ask tough questions and have candid discussions to help prepare for a difficult exam or test, or in Vance's case, a vice presidential debate. A group of people.
The who, what, where, and when of Tuesday's J.D. Vance-Tim Walz vice presidential debate
Sen. J.D. Vance and Gov. Tim Walz will meet Tuesday for the vice presidential debate. (Getty Images)
Vance last week conducted a mock debate in which House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota played the role of Waltz, the running mate to Vice President Kamala Harris, according to people familiar with the matter. Monica Crowley, a former Trump administration assistant secretary of the Treasury, served as one of the hosts for CBS News, which hosted the debate in New York City.
The power went out in the middle of the mock debate, and a strong storm hit near Cincinnati, Ohio, where Vance lives and where preparation sessions were being held. But Vance and his team continued to use lanterns for lighting and cellphones as timers, according to a person who first provided details to Fox News.
For the latest FOX News polls on the 2024 election, click here
“I'm honored to be asked to play a small role in exposing the failures of J.D. and President Trump,” Emmer, who steered the House Republican Campaign Committee in the 2020 and 2022 cycles, said in an interview on Fox News Digital last week. ” he said. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. ”
Emmer and Walz served in the House of Representatives for four years before Walz won the Minnesota gubernatorial election in 2018. “I probably know him as well or better than most people on the Republican side,” he said.
And while criticizing his fellow Minnesotan, Emmer said, “The hardest thing about playing Waltz…is lying with a straight face, because that's his job. He's good at the debate game, but there's There is no content,” he claimed. There's a lot of air. ”
What the latest FOX News Power Rankings show
Asked Monday if he had any advice for his running mate, former President Trump told reporters, “No, I don't need to.”
But he added that he and Vance have been “going back and forth a little bit” and that he thinks the senator is in “good shape.”
Part of the Trump campaign's strategy ahead of the debate is to build expectations for Walz.
A senior Trump campaign adviser said, “Mr. Walz is very good at debates. I want to repeat that. Tim Walz is very good at debates. Really good. He's been a politician for almost 20 years. For tomorrow night. He will be very well prepared.” Jason Miller told reporters Monday.
Sen. J.D. Vance speaks at a campaign rally in Newtown, Pennsylvania, Saturday, September 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Lawrence Kesterson)
Mr. Vance, his family, and key aides and advisers arrived in New York City the night before the debate.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News confirmed that Vance will speak at a major Republican donor conference in Manhattan on Monday night.
Mr. Vance plans to speak privately about the American Opportunity Alliance, according to a person familiar with the Republican vice presidential nominee's plans. This is a network of major Republican donors, including billionaire investors/mega-donors such as Paul Singer, Ken Griffin, and Warren Stevens. The development was first reported by the New York Times.
Get the latest on the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more with Fox News Digital's Election Hub.
