Vice President Kamala Harris said Saturday that she has accepted an offer from CNN for a second presidential debate against former President Donald Trump on Oct. 23.
Harris said in a statement on X that she had accepted the debate offer and called on her opponent to accept it as well.
Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris listens as former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during an ABC News presidential debate in Philadelphia, September 10, 2024.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
“I hope @realDonaldTrump joins me,” she said in her post.
Harris’ campaign challenged Trump to another debate less than an hour after the Sept. 10 ABC News presidential debate ended. However, Trump said in a statement that he would not participate in another debate against Harris. He has not publicly responded to CNN’s offer.
Former President Donald Trump, Republican presidential nominee, speaks during an ABC News presidential debate with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris on September 10, 2024, in Philadelphia.
Alex Brandon/AP
According to Harris campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon, the October debate on CNN would have the same rules as the June debate between Trump and President Joe Biden. That means there will be no audience and microphones will be muted when a candidate is not speaking, sources familiar with the rules told ABC News.
The debate is expected to take place well after early voting begins in several states across the country. A debate between vice presidential candidates Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. J.D. Vance is scheduled for Oct. 1 on CBS.
This combination of photos shows Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, left, and Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris during a presidential debate on ABC News, September 10, 2024, in Philadelphia.
Alex Brandon/AP
“It would be unprecedented in modern history for there to be only one general election debate,” O’Malley Dillon said in a statement, adding that “the debates offer a unique opportunity for voters to see the candidates side by side and take stock of their competing visions for America.”
ABC News’ Rick Klein and Ivan Pereira contributed to this report.
