BELLEVILLE, Mich. (AP) 鈥� Democratic vice presidential candidate is set to make his final major campaign appearance before the coming at a football game between the University of Michigan and the University of Minnesota in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Saturday.
Walz, the governor of Minnesota, planned to meet young voters on the college campus before the game's afternoon kickoff. Walz has leaned into as a football coach and teacher while campaigning for Vice President Kamala Harris鈥� presidential bid, making multiple recent visits to university campuses to engage with students.
The visit comes before the debate Tuesday between Walz and Donald Trump鈥檚 running mate, Republican Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. After Saturday鈥檚 game, Walz will travel to northern Michigan for final debate prep before the faceoff, according to a source familiar with his plans who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private preparations.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has been playing the role of Vance in Walz鈥檚 debate prep sessions, which so far have taken place at a downtown Minneapolis hotel, according to another person who also spoke on condition of anonymity.
Michigan is one of the key battleground states in November鈥檚 presidential election. While Harris has made multiple visits to Detroit since launching her campaign in July, Walz has focused his efforts on other areas of the state, including a recent trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan鈥檚 second-largest city.
Walz has continued to engage with young voters on the campaign trail, including a recent visit to Michigan State University. In 2022, Michigan saw the rate nationwide as Democrats made historic gains in the state. Energizing similar voters could be crucial for Harris鈥� this year.
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AP writers Will Weissert in Washington and Meg Kinnard in South Carolina contributed to this report.
Joey Cappelletti, The Associated Press
