Campaign insiders on what to expect in tonight’s vice presidential debate

FARMVILLE, Va. — The two lesser-known halves of the Democratic and Republican presidential tickets are facing off in their first and only debate Tuesday night. Prior to the event, aides for both campaigns told Yahoo News what to expect from Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine.

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has repeatedly attacked her Republican rival, Donald Trump, for failing to disclose his tax returns and for comments he made in his roles as a reality television star and businessman. Trump has taken shots at Clinton for her use of a private email server for official business during her time as secretary of state and allegations that donors to her family foundation got preferential access to public officials. However, top aides from both campaigns insisted the vice presidential candidates won’t focus on those issues.

Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook suggested Kaine would be focused on policy and it would be up to Pence “whether he wants to focus on negative attacks.”

“What we hope to do is to have a debate about the issues,” Mook said.

Pence’s press secretary, Marc Lotter, similarly indicated the governor wants to discuss policy.

“I can’t speak to what hypothetical questions or topics may or may not come up. I know that, from the governor’s standpoint … he’s looking forward to a good political debate on the future that Donald Trump offers the country and how we can make America great again or [have] the continued status quo and failed foreign policy of Hillary Clinton,” said Lotter.

Lotter also said Pence is eager to focus on the economy and the vice presidential candidates’ respective records as governors of their home states.

“The governor plans to highlight the things that American people are talking about, which is building jobs, you know, renegotiating trade deals so we are promoting American workers and American companies,” Lotter said of Pence. “Obviously, the governor will be ready to talk about the failed leadership in the state of Virginia under then Gov. Kaine and the progress that has been made under Gov. Pence in the state of Indiana.”

Pence assumed office in Indiana in 2013 after spending 12 years in the House of Representatives. Kaine entered the Senate in 2013 and was Virginia’s governor from 2006 until 2010.

While Mook suggested Kaine would not be making attacks, Jen Palmieri, communications director for the Clinton campaign, predicted there would be “fireworks” at the debate. Palmieri said Kaine would challenge Pence on comments Trump has made.

“Gov. Pence should expect that Sen. Kaine will push him on comments the Trump campaign should answer for,” Palmieri said. “We’ll see if he is willing to embrace some of the more controversial and insensitive comments Donald Trump has made, or [if] he [will] be more concerned about protecting his own credibility.”

In past interviews with Yahoo News, Pence and his team have suggested he was put on the ticket to provide “balance” with the more bombastic Trump. The more traditionally conservative governor has not always been in lockstep with Trump’s comments, but Pence’s team has framed that as part of a deliberate strategy. They say areas of daylight between the running mates could help woo religious voters and establishment conservatives who are wary of Trump’s temper and outsider status.

Part of Pence’s potential appeal to evangelicals has been his efforts to restrict abortion and his initial support for a “religious freedom” law that allowed businesses to discriminate against gays and lesbians for religious reasons. Progressive groups also highlighted Pence’s positions on social issues ahead of the debate.

The Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ civil rights group, launched an #AskTheGays Twitter hashtag for people to use during the debate. In a statement, Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin said the hashtag was designed to contrast Kaine and Pence.

“The choice is crystal clear. While Tim Kaine has worked as governor of Virginia and in Congress to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination, Mike Pence has built his entire career on denying LGBTQ people equal treatment under the law,” Griffin said. “Pence is nationally known for targeting Hoosiers so they could be denied service because of who they are or whom they love.”

Planned Parenthood Action released a video on Tuesday morning attacking Pence for his efforts to defund the pro-abortion-rights organization. In a statement sent to Yahoo News, PPA’s executive vice president Dawn Laguens described Pence as “obsessed with ending women’s access to health care.”

“He was the first member of Congress to try to defund Planned Parenthood, he would make it harder to access birth control, and even his fellow Republicans in Indiana have objected to his extreme anti-abortion agenda. It’s hard to find a bigger enemy of women’s health care than Mike Pence,” Laguens said.

While some of Clinton’s allies might be eager to see gay marriage and abortion take center stage in the debate, Mook suggested that Kaine would focus on the economy.

“I think that Trump and Pence are out of the mainstream on those issues,” Mook said of gay marriage and abortion, before adding, “I think what we want to spend our time talking about is how we’re going create jobs, lower the cost of health care, lower the cost of college.”

However, if Kaine does focus on social issues, Pence’s team said that’s a fight they’re ready to have.

Sean Spicer, the chief strategist for the Republican National Committee who has been working with Trump’s campaign, said he doesn’t expect gay marriage and abortion to be major topics.

“But even if they are, I think we’re obviously on the right side of them,” said Spicer.