CBS sets JD Vance town hall in Michigan ahead of midterms

Vice President JD Vance will take questions from Michigan voters in a one-hour CBS special on 17 October.

The programme, titled Things That Matter, will air at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and stream on Paramount+, according to CBS News. It is being presented as part of CBS News coverage ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil will moderate the session. The format is a town hall, meaning a live audience asks the questions directly. Voters from across the political spectrum will attend and put their own questions and views to the vice president, identified by CBS as R-Ohio.

Michigan was chosen for a reason. The state is holding contests for key Senate and House seats. It will also elect its first new governor in eight years, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

The planned topics are broad. They include the congressional elections, affordability, tariffs, immigration and healthcare. Artificial intelligence, the war with Iran and the state of democracy are also on the list.

The Vance edition follows earlier Things That Matter town halls. Previous guests included the Artemis astronauts, former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.

The series sits within CBS News under editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. Details of the Michigan special were released through Paramount Press Express.

For viewers, the offer is simple. One hour. One state full of close races. And an open microphone.