Harris Campaign Floats Second Debate With Trump in October

(Bloomberg) -- Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ campaign is proposing a second debate with Republican counterpart Donald Trump if he follows through with their already agreed-to showdown on ABC News.

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The two presidential candidates are slated to take the stage on Sept. 10 in a forum hosted by ABC News and their running mates, Republican JD Vance and Democrat Tim Walz, are set for their own Oct. 1 debate with CBS News.

“The debate about debates is over,” Michael Tyler, the communications director for the Harris campaign, said in a statement Thursday. “Trump’s campaign accepted our proposal for three debates — two presidential and a vice presidential debate.”

Tyler said that if Trump shows up to the ABC forum, voters “will have another opportunity” to see Harris and him “on the debate stage in October,” but did not propose any further details for that event.

The two campaigns have sparred over the number of debates they will hold and their hosts following President Joe Biden’s decision to end his reelection bid and endorse Harris for the Democratic nomination. Biden debated Trump in June, delivering a disastrous performance that spurred calls for him to stand aside.

After Harris entered the race, Trump at first declined to commit to a second debate he had agreed to with Biden, questioning the need. But after polls showed him losing ground to his new opponent, he accepted the offer to appear at the ABC News forum. The Trump campaign has also pitched other opportunities, including one on Fox News, a conservative outlet that is friendly to the former president.

A Harris campaign official last week ruled out participating in a Fox News forum.

Vance, earlier Thursday, said that he would face Walz in a CBS debate in New York City on Oct. 1. The vice presidential debate will be a critical opportunity for the two running mates.

Vance, an Ohio senator, has had a rocky start to his candidacy, facing criticism for past comments that mocked women who did not have children. Trump and other Republicans have defended those comments, and the former president has praised his running mate’s performance even as he has discounted the importance of his No. 2.

Minnesota Governor Walz meanwhile has helped Harris coalesce Democrats behind the party’s new ticket, but polls suggest he is still largely unknown to many Americans.

The undercard debate between Vance and Walz has become increasingly contentious. Walz gained national attention by mocking Vance, Trump and their policies as “weird” — a catchphrase which was quickly embraced by Democrats. He has made even cruder attacks against the Republican running mate at rallies. Vance and Republicans have questioned Walz’s military record, accusing him of misrepresenting his service.

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