Pete Buttigieg Is Playing JD Vance During Tim Walz’s Debate Prep

Tim Walz enlisted the help of Pete Buttigieg as he prepares for the vice-presidential debate on Oct. 1. The Transportation Secretary is reportedly serving as JD Vance’s stand-in during policy sessions and mock debates on the campaign trail.

Buttigieg, now reprising his role as opposing veep candidate, stood in for Mike Pence during Kamala Harris’ practice sessions leading up to the 2020 election. The former South Bend, Indiana mayor’s on-stage persona this time around happens to be as a fellow Midwesterner.

On Wednesday, Walz, clad in cargo-pants and drinking Mountain Dew, met up with Buttigieg at a Minneapolis hotel to prepare for the October event, The duo, however, have yet to hold a full 90-minute mock debate, but are expected to do so closer to the New York City face off hosted by CBS News. The in-person meeting was the first of its kind, as Buttigieg previously assisted via video calls.

The Transportation Secretary is widely considered one of the Democratic Party’s best communicators with his frequent appearances on the talk show circuit and sparring with hosts on Fox News. His involvement with Walz’s debate preparations, according to sources close to the matter, is strictly in a personal capacity.

Buttigieg is one of several members of Walz’s debate prep squad, which includes Zayn Siddique, a lawyer at the firm Paul Weiss who helped Biden and Harris prepare for debates, Rob Friedlander, who recently left the White House’s National Economic Council to oversee debate prep, Liz Allen, Walz’s campaign chief of staff, and Chris Schmitter, Walz’s chief of staff in the governor’s office and a senior adviser on the campaign.

Ahead of the debate, the Democratic vice presidential nominee has attempted to lower expectations for his performance, telling MSNBC “Look, he’s Yale Law guy. I’m a public school teacher. So we know where he’s at on that.”

“You will hear me talk, like I have, about things that impact Americans—making sure they have the opportunity to thrive, making sure that we’re being factual in how we talk about that,” Walz added.

People familiar with governor’s debate strategy say he considers the event as an chance to continue introducing himself to Americans and promote Harris’ presidential platform. Aides expect Walz to focus both on Harris’ contrast from Trump and where Walz differs from Vance.

In recent weeks, Walz has escalated his jabs toward Vance, harping the Ohio statesman’s support for Project 2025 and framing him and other republicans as “weird,” while leaning into his Midwestern roots and experience as a football coach.

A spokesperson for the Trump-Vance campaign declined to comment.