While former President Donald Trump has already had his two debate showdowns, it'll soon be time for his running mate Sen. J.D. Vance to prove to his supporters, and those undecided, that he has what it takes to be the best vice president. 

On Oct. 1, Vance will debate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), who is running on the Democratic ticket with Vice President Kamala Harris.

According to reports, Vance has spent the past month engaging in "intense" debate prep in anticipation of his showdown with Walz.

The vice presidential nominee called in several powerful Trump allies to prepare him to go up against Walz at the beginning of the month at the CBS-hosted debate, with one of them being House Majority Whip Tom Emmer.

What's going on?

Vance and Emmer will reportedly do a mock debate in the coming days, with Emmer playing the role of Walz.

CNN noted:

That preparation includes reviewing footage of the governor’s previous speeches and studying binders of research regarding his policies, a person directly involved in the debate prep told CNN.

Trump’s former assistant secretary for public affairs at the Treasury Department, Monica Crowley, has been chosen as the mock debate moderator.

Making it as authentic as possible, Emmer has reportedly spent the past month studying how to be Walz on the debate stage, which included sessions studying his policies, his mannerisms and rhetoric. Emmer has reportedly known Walz for years, making the preparation even more personal.

Sources told CNN:

The group has met in person at Vance’s Cincinnati home, as well as on Zoom over the last several weeks, with a focus on helping the Ohio senator better understand Walz stylistically, as well as on familiarizing Vance with Walz’s record as both a Minnesota congressman and governor, the person said.

As far as strategy is concerned, Vance will reportedly "needle" Walz on his policy record, including how he handled the riots in Minnesota and other hot national topics that he received criticism for.

Already prepared

The sources familiar with the debate prep told the outlet that Vance is essentially focusing on playing offense, as he's already built a thick skin in handling hostile media for the past several months.

"One of the benefits of doing hostile media nonstop is you become very well-versed in dealing with attacks on your record," the source reportedly told CNN. "We have a lot of confidence in JD speaking about policy. The goal is to focus on Walz and his weaknesses."

While many believe Vance will trounce Walz in a head-to-head matchup, the source said they're treating Walz as a serious opponent.

"We’re taking Walz very seriously, and having studied the footage, we expect him to be an effective debater," the source said.