JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- VP Candidate Paul Ryan is in Kentucky tonight, getting ready to face off against Vice President Joe Biden in the first and only Vice Presidential debate.
Ryan's press secretary Brenden Buck admits, the GOP candidate might be a little nervous. He said, "Joe Biden is obviously, a very skilled debater. He's known somewhat as a gaffe machine, but if you go back and look at his debates, this is not the forum he makes mistakes. So, we're taking preparations seriously and staying focused. I think we're ready for tonight."
Democrats are ready too. And many voters are expecting to see a strong showing from Vice President Biden to make up for President Obama's less than stellar debate performance earlier this month.
DNC Press Secretary Melanie Roussell said, "I think his strength is going to be being straight with the American people. That's what they are looking for in this election."
Tonight's 90 minute, commercial free showdown is expected to center on foreign and domestic policy, with both camps focusing heavily on health care and the economy.
The Democrats plan to grill Ryan on Romney's plans. Roussell said, "He said his plan would cover people with pre-existing conditions, and it won't. He said that his plan does not provide tax cuts for the wealthy and it does."
Buck said, "This is why Paul Ryan is here. He's focused on solving our big challenges and he always has been. Before he was selected by Governor Romney, in Congress, he was a leader on tackling the big challenges. He runs at problems instead of away from them, and that is what Americans need right now."
Vice President Biden will be trying to stop the Republican ticket's momentum. Paul Ryan will be trying to prove it's time for a Republican in the White House. And with the polls putting the presidential race in a virtual tie, the stakes for this debate are high.
And that's why local voters like Dr. Ateeque Khan will be watching closely. He, like 100,000 other voters in Jacksonville, are registered Independent, or with no party affiliation.
When we asked him why, Dr. Khan said, "When I became a citizen of this country, I never had 100% predilection for any one party. I like them both. A few things here and a few things there."
Action News asked, "What issues are important to you?" He replied, "The most important to me personally is personal and individual liberty, the economy, health care, and most of all, world peace and civility."
The Vice Presidential debate could swing undecided voters. You can watch it for yourself tonight at 9pm, on CBS47 and FOX30.
