NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Two days away from the Senate debate between incumbent Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican challenger Hung Cao, a crew of veteran photographers, directors and engineers continue to put the final touches on the set with our partners at Norfolk State University, NewsNation and 10 On Your Side’s parent company, Nexstar.
The stage is set inside of the L. Douglas Wilder Performing Arts Center as word about the debate is now traveling around the NSU campus.
“When I read up about it, I thought it was a really cool thing for students to come out and actually see a debate in person, because we really don’t see a lot of that, especially on a historically Black colleges and universities campus,” said Norfolk State senior Ciara Carver.
Carver has served several roles in the student government.
“I’m very involved on campus [ever] since I stepped foot on campus my freshman year in the fall of 2021,” Carver said. “What really built me up as a student I am today, is really the Student Government Association. I’ve been SGA since I was a freshman. I’ve had great experiences being with SGA. I went from being the freshman class parliamentarian to the sophomore senator, and then I worked my way up to the executive board, that being chief justice.”
Carver is also a student ambassador, part of the NSU NAACP and member of the Epsilon Theta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority incorporated.
“I was very blessed to attend Norfolk State on a full ride scholarship,” Carver said. “Being that I’m an out-of-state student as well, I like to pass a lot of the information that I’ve learned as a first-generation college student onto other students. They can have that college experience and not be in debt. When I graduate in May 2025, I’ll be debt-free because of NSU and the scholarship that it provided for me.”
Carver said a senatorial debate at the historically Black institution could be helpful for exposure.
“For those two candidates to come on our campus and to showcase their policies and their laws that they hopefully will put in place when they are in office, … it’s going to be a great opportunity,” Carver said. “It’s going to be a great step forward for our institution as well to put it on the map.”
Carver is hopeful the elected candidate will include additional funding for HBCUs.
“I would like them to see policies that would strengthen the funds, strengthen the greatness of our HBCU and to give us more opportunities,” Carver said.
Dr. Ben Melusky, a political analyst at Old Dominion University, also located in the city of Norfolk, adds that debate locations are generally selected on neutral territory and sites with historical significance.
“It’s drawing attention to a diverse population,” Melusky said. “It’s drawing attention to a population in which the candidates are looking at and trying to attract in the election cycle itself and issues that are very germane to that population as well.”
Ahead of the vice presidential debate Tuesday night, Melusky expects similar topics and issues will be discussed during the Virginia Senate debate Wednesday.
“There are going to be questions focused on the economy, and basically, the current regime versus what would be an incoming regime under the Republicans,” Melusky said. “There’s also going to be conversations about social issues, crime, social justice issues, abortion or immigration. That’s going to transition into issues about what’s going on Internationally with Israel, Gaza, Ukraine and China. … There’s going to be a focus on Tuesday night. Then that’ll very much feed into the senatorial debate on Wednesday for very similar themes and conversations.”
Kaine has held the Senate seat since 2012. He’s also served as Virginia governor and lieutenant governor.
“We’re looking for Tim Kaine to not rock the boat,” Melusky said. “He is the incumbent. He’s the favorite in both fundraising as well as in polling. We expect a very even keel performance from Tim Kaine. He’s going to have to deftly field questions about his role as an incumbent and [his] handling on a lot of issues that are essentially being brought up by the other side.”
Cao, a military veteran and political newcomer, has an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
“I’m expecting him [Cao] to try to make the case that the status quo is not good enough,” Melusky said. “‘Are you better today than you were four years ago?’ Putting Tim Kaine squarely in the center of the argument, saying you’re part of the status quo. …
“We’re looking for Cao to really make an appearance, because by all indicators he’s down in terms of fundraising. Tim Kaine has about $16 million raised to Cao having about $3 million. He’s down in the polls. [Cao] needs this as a chance to kind of make a splash, garner some attention. He’s relatively not well-known outside of kind of Republican circles. He needs to really get his name out there amongst the electorate. This is the chance to do that, … potentially also to get some last-minute fundraising surge to help to narrow that gap between his fundraising as well.”
Watch the debate on WAVY-TV 10, at 7 p.m. Wednesday night.
