“Ain’t nobody coming to see you, Otis” is an iconic line from “The Temptations,” a 1998 NBC miniseries. Delivered by the actor who plays David Ruffin, it’s a boast that the audience didn’t pay to see anyone else in the group see, just Ruffin. Conventional wisdom says you can apply this logic to Tuesday’s vice presidential debate between Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Ohio Senator JD Vance.

In ‘normal elections’ a debate between the number 2 on the list would be interesting, but not statistically significant. The rule for a vice presidential debate is generally the same from election to election: stick to the top of the ticket’s message, contrast with the challenger anchored in that message and, crucially, do no harm. Conventional wisdom says that people don’t cast votes because of who the Democratic or Republican candidate chose as their ultimate partner in government. It’s the name on the top of the ticket that matters.

However, this is not a normal election, and I disagree with the conventional wisdom. Running mates are important, and tonight’s debate is quite important!

If the nominees’ choice of potential governing partner did not matter, there would be no reason to put them on stage together before the elections. Choosing a running mate is the first presidential-level decision a major party candidate makes. It is a statement about who they are and what their agenda and legacy will be if they are elected president. By selecting the millennial Vance, former President Donald Trump tripled down on Trumpism, making it a key pillar of the Republican Party apparatus and the base of the Republican Party’s next generation.

By selecting Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris signaled that the Democratic tent is big and that she is serious about achieving her bold plans on child care, reproductive freedom and the economy. Just look at what her running mate in Minnesota has done when it comes to these issues.

Tonight’s debate could be the last time voters hear from the campaigns in a forum where they are tasked with standing side by side and defending their plans. A literal split screen in which the comments of both participants take center stage. That alone raises the stakes.

Vance will have to answer for his wealth of sound bites on everything from comparing Trump to Hitler and racist conspiratorial lies about the Haitian people in his home state, to name just two. Walz will be asked to defend his record in Minnesota (because it’s apparently too progressive to feed children) and his military service record. No matter what the moderators ask, a candidate who is well prepared will answer the question and then quickly leave the conversation about themselves and get back to the issues and their No. 1. This isn’t always easy to do, but it is critical .

When we first sat down in 2020 to prepare for the debate with then-Sen. Harris, we initially focused on making sure she knew what then-candidate Joe Biden had said publicly on each issue. It was important that she was well aware of his thoughts so that she knew the contours of where and how far to go when discussing a particular topic.

The last thing a campaign wants is for the running mate to deliver unauthorized news.

When Vance spoke with my colleague Kristen Welker on “Meet the Press,” he stated emphatically that Trump would not sign a national abortion ban into law. And yet, during Trump’s second debate this cycle, he responded to Vance’s answer on national television. Vance will want to avoid making the same mistake tonight, but a big part of the vice presidency is speaking for the president. If Vance can’t do that in a debate, why should he be able to do it in the White House?

For Walz, he’ll have to walk the tightrope of part attack dog and part explainer. This is an area where many voters still say they want to know more about Harris’ plans, so Walz will have to use his time wisely, finding moments to speak directly to people at home and explain how a future Harris Walz government would do it. a difference for families across the country. Much has been said that Walz was not a seasoned debater, but remember, he was a high school teacher and football coach! You could say he honed his eloquence in the lion’s den.

In 2020, while preparing for Harris’ debate, we had many internal discussions about how to handle the age issue if it came up. Tonight, Walz won’t have that problem. Harris turns 60 this month; Vance, however, will have to explain why Americans should trust that 78-year-old Donald Trump will return to the resolute desk and whether he himself – a first-year senator with no legislative achievements and no other political or government experience – would actually be ready to take over. to lead the country when duty calls.

Tonight, while no one will be looking for Otis, all political eyes will be on Tim Walz and JD Vance.