Tim Walz plans fundraiser in JD Vance’s backyard

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Tim Walz is planning to hold a fundraiser in JD Vance’s backyard just days after the pair debate for the first time.

The Democratic vice presidential nominee will head to Vance’s current hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, on October 5 after Democrats in the area raised at least $1m to get him there, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Officials from the campaign reportedly told Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Kearney if they wanted Kamala Harris to visit, they would have needed to raise $1.5m.

“For us, we wanted either Vice President Harris to come or Governor Walz to come. They said, ‘OK’...I think that’s huge,” she told the newspaper.

“He’s the vice presidential candidate, he’ll be second in command. We really like him a lot.”

Details of the event are currently under wraps but Kearney said Walz’s appearance is likely to be a private one, not a public rally.

“It’s going to be exciting and it’s going to be wonderful,” she added, saying there would be additional events for the public added in the near future.

“We will definitely have a rally for the public as well,” she said.

“We’re just excited. It’s a great time and everybody should be involved. I think the fact he’s coming to Cincinnati means how important we are to the election.”

Ohio, which has 17 electoral votes, is no longer considered a swing state after turning red for Donald Trump in 2016 and staying red in 2020.

Trump is comfortably ahead in the polls in the Buckeye state this time round as well.

A poll by The New York Times has the Republican 10 points ahead of Harris in Ohio, with voters backing him 54 percent to 44 percent for the vice president.

Vance, who was raised in Middletown but now lives in Cincinnati, was sworn into office as senator for Ohio at the beginning of 2023.

Vance and Walz will go head to head next Tuesday in their first – and only planned – vice presidential debate. This week Vance revealed he doesn’t need to “prepare that much” for the debate against the Minnesota governor.

“We have well-developed views on public policy, so we don’t have to prepare that much,” Vance said during a press call on Wednesday, according to The New York Post.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is playing Vance during Walz’s mock debates while Republican Minnesota Representative Tom Emmer is playing the part of Walz during Vance’s preparations. Emmer was picked so that he could emulate Walz’s folksy demeanor, according to ABC News.

The debate is set to take place at 9pm ET and will be hosted by CBS News.