The two Midwestern vice presidential candidates, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) and Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), went toe-to-toe Tuesday night in their only debate of the election cycle, and they surprisingly agreed on seven different topics throughout the night.
Here are the things they agreed on:
1. Congressional funding for immigration policies
Walz brought up the bipartisan border bill that was shot down in Congress, emphasizing the need for congressional funding and cooperation to secure the border and pass immigration policy. When Vance was asked if he agreed that Congress needed the funds to support such changes to the border, Vance agreed.
“It is a disgrace, Tim, and I actually think I agree with you. I think you want to solve this problem, but I don’t think that Kamala Harris does,” Vance said.
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2. US-based manufacturing and energy production
Vance said the Trump administration would bring energy and manufacturing back to the United States rather than receive it from trade deals overseas. Walz agreed that was the way forward for workers.
“Much of what the senator said right there, I’m in agreement with him on this,” Walz said. “We’re in agreement that we bring those home.”
3. Pro-family outlook and emphasis on fertility treatment availability
Vance took a strong stance on being pro-family, reiterating that the goal is to make it easier for mothers to afford to have children and raise their families, and he supported access to fertility treatments. Walz agreed these things must be protected.
“I agree with a lot of what Sen. Vance said about what’s happening. His running mate, though, does not, and that’s the problem,” Walz said.
4. Importance of access to emergency abortion care
In Walz’s rebuttal of Vance’s anti-abortion stance, he brought up Amber Thurman, a Georgia woman who had complications in her pregnancy and needed an abortion. Her procedure was denied in Georgia, and she died from sepsis while traveling to North Carolina for care. The situation is the precise scenario Trump’s team says is an exception to abortion restrictions, and Vance agreed that she should have received care.
“First of all, governor, I agree with you. Amber Thurman should still be alive, and there are a lot of people who should still be alive, and I certainly wish that she was,” Vance said.
5. Improvements in gun violence rates
Following the first commercial break, moderators opened with a question on gun violence for Vance, which pressed him on his opposition to red flag laws and banning “assault rifles” and if he thinks holding parents responsible for school shootings would lower rates of violence. Before providing an answer, Vance gave a blanket statement that both parties want to lessen gun violence.
“And, of course, our hearts go out to the families that are affected by this terrible stuff, and we do have to do better,” Vance said. “And I think that Gov. Walz and I actually probably agree that we need to do better on this. The question is just how we actually do it.”
Walz later gave his answer on the topic, sharing a personal detail that his son Gus had witnessed a shooting. Vance showed empathy over the tragic event.
“I didn’t know that your 17-year-old witnessed a shooting. I’m sorry about that, and I appreciate it. Christ, have mercy. It is, it is awful,” Vance said.
6. Immigrants are not to blame for housing crisis
Walz opened the conversation on housing and rent prices by discussing statements Vance made earlier in the debate about Americans competing with illegal immigrants to secure housing. “But we can’t blame immigrants for the only reason. That’s not the case,” Walz said.
Vance took the opportunity to clear up his prior statements on immigration and housing, agreeing with Walz, saying, “Tim just said something that I agree with. We don’t want to blame immigrants for higher housing prices.”
Vance also made remarks on ideas Walz proposed to bring the cost of housing down, saying, “Some of those ideas I actually think are halfway decent, and some of them I disagree with.”
7. Housing should not be a commodity
When Walz began the housing discussion, he opened with the popular opinion that housing is now “bought up, shifted, it can be moved around,” claiming it has become a commodity. Later, in Vance’s remarks, he agreed that it shouldn’t be.
“I actually agree with Tim Walz. We should get out of this idea of housing as a commodity,” Vance said.
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The debate had no animosity and ended cordially, with Vance wishing Walz well.
“I think we’re going to win, but if Tim Walz is the next vice president, he’ll have my prayers, he’ll have my best wishes, and he’ll have my help whenever he wants it,” Vance said.