Walz is to attend the University of Michigan football game before final prep for Tuesday’s debate

BELLEVILLE, Mich. (AP) — Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz is set to make his final major campaign appearance before the coming week’s debate 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 his background as a football coach and teacher while campaigning for Vice President Kamala Harris’ 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’s running mate, Republican Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. After Saturday’s 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’s 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’s 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’s 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 highest youth voter turnout rate nationwide as Democrats made historic gains in the state. Energizing similar voters could be crucial for Harris’ this year.

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AP writers Will Weissert in Washington and Meg Kinnard in South Carolina contributed to this report.