Insiders say they know Tim Walz is not a ‘slick debater’ as his low-key preparations for Vance showdown with pizza and hikes are revealed

Tim Walz took a break from his debate prep on Sunday to visit a local farm’s pumpkin patch, telling reporters it “went great.”

But behind the scenes, he is said to be worried about Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate.

Walz and his team are holed up in Northern Michigan and preparing for the event at a spot they’ve dubbed “Camp North Star.”

The camp’s name is about Walz “staying true to who he is, and not turning him into a slick debater like” Republican JD Vance, a source familiar with the preparations told DailyMail.com.

In between practice sessions, the Minnesota governor took time to take a walk and eat pizza in downtown Harbor Springs, a resort community on Lake Michigan’s sheltered Little Traverse Bay.

And he and his staff are busy with America’s favorite pastime: football.

Many of the camp’s TVs are streaming pro and college football, a source told DailyMail.com, as people don their team gear. Bulldogs, Packers, Bills and Chiefs fans were spotted.

And when memorizing policy positions and funny jokes becomes too much, they go outside to throw a football between sessions.

Walz’s team sets expectations low for the teacher-turned-politician, pointing out that Vance honed his debating skills while studying at Yale.

But behind the scenes, the Democratic vice presidential nominee is said to be worried about bombardment on the national stage and nervous about letting Kamala Harris down.

In his interview with her as running mate, he warned her that he is a bad debater.

And there are areas where he is vulnerable.

Vance is expected to attack him based on his military record, as he has done in the past.

Walz’s allies worry that the Republican running mate will weaken Walz’s funny dad persona and make the Democratic running mate look like an idiot or an excessive liberal vouching for another liberal.

Walz has been known to throw out some memorable lines in the past. Before Harris chose him as her running mate, Walz notably coined the word “weird” to describe Trump.

But adding to the pressure is the fact that the debate will likely be the last major showdown between the two presidential tickets before the Nov. 5 election. Harris has accepted CNN’s offer for a new presidential debate, but Donald Trump has not.

That’s why Walz has enlisted some help to prepare: Pete Buttigieg, who plays Vance in mock debate sessions.

Buttigieg injected some levity into the practice sessions when he surprised everyone by showing up in a cheap red tie instead of casual clothes.

The Transportation Secretary has a polished on-camera personality and is a frequent guest on Fox News, where he spars with conservative anchors.

And he has helped prepare debates before. In the 2020 election, he groomed Harris to take on Mike Pence by playing Pence in mock sessions with Harris.

CBS News will host the vice presidential debate Tuesday night at 9 PM ET in New York City. It is scheduled to run 90 minutes with no studio audience. It will be moderated by Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan.

There will be no opening statements, but there will be closing statements. CBS News said it reserves the right to mute the candidates’ microphones, but otherwise they will be hot.

Walz is being coached by two campaign advisers, Rob Friedlander and Zayn Siddique, The New York Times reports. Also helping are Chris Schmitter, a longtime Walz aide who has worked with the governor for nearly two decades; Liz Allen, Walz’s campaign chief of staff; and Michael Tyler, the Harris campaign’s communications director.

Walz, a former football coach, does have a plan: skip Vance and go straight to attacking Trump.

The Minnesota governor will use his sympathy to hammer Vance on “Project 2025” and “sell his soul to Donald Trump.” CNN reported.

Maybe he’ll even borrow from Harris’ playbook. As she prepared for a vice presidential debate — before Joe Biden dropped out — she planned to ask Vance what promises he made to Trump so the former president wouldn’t send an angry mob after him like Mike Pence on Jan. 6 experienced.

And Walz is expected to attack Vance over his ties to Trump, his stance on abortion rights and his controversial claims such as eating pets and insulting single cat ladies.

Vance has deepened his own debate preparations.

Republican Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota, who is helping Vance prepare for the debate by playing Walz, previewed their line of attack on Sunday.

Walz is “like Gavin Newsom in a flannel shirt,” Emmer told ABC’s This Week.

Emmer also spoke to DailyMail.com last week about preparations for the debate.

“I went through all his debates in the last month,” he said in an exclusive interview. “If I do my job, JD will expose him.”

“I’ve actually spent the last month studying all the things Tim Walz has done, how he’s trying to portray himself as something he’s not.

“When the senator and I are talking, that’s exactly what I’m going to show him and he’ll know how to deal with that ‘Minnesota Nice’ fraudster personality.”

After the vice presidential debate, Harris and Walz will campaign together via a bus tour of central Pennsylvania, according to the campaign.

Wednesday’s visit will mark the first time Harris and Walz have campaigned together in central Pennsylvania. They will make several stops along the way to meet voters.