This story is part of Elections 2020, CNET’s coverage of the voting in November and its aftermath.

An anonymous fly may have dominated the buzz from Wednesday night’s vice presidential debate, but the two human candidates earned some discussion too. Vice President Mike Pence, whose hair hosted the rogue fly, came in for debate over his sore-looking left eye. And Sen. Kamala Harris, his opponent, turned out not to have a poker face.

The eyes have it

Pence definitely had a notable sore area on his left eye, though at press time, representatives had not responded to a Los Angeles Times request for comment about what was wrong. Twitter users noticed, and speculated freely. Some went for the jokes, including comedian Michael Ian Black, who wrote, “Mike Pence’s tie really brings out his pink eye.”

Mike Pence’s tie really brings out his pink eye.

— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) October 8, 2020

Is he ok? pic.twitter.com/77qDCYdFGr

— Padma Lakshmi (@PadmaLakshmi) October 8, 2020

Mike Pence, who was surrounded by plexiglass in a socially distanced debate, with a red eye, argued that the coronavirus pandemic was under control.

— Travis Allen 🇺🇸 (@TravisAllen02) October 8, 2020

How’s Pence getting home tonight?

He will…FLY the RED EYE. October 8, 2020

Some tried to tie the look of Pence’s eye to the coronavirus, though he tested negative before the debate. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump have both tested positive, and the president was briefly hospitalized.

The National Institutes of Health coronavirus page lists conjunctivitis, an eye inflammation or infection, as a symptom of the disease, and Twitter users knew that.

“Pink eye is a symptom of COVID-19,” wrote actor Kumail Nanjiani. “Saying that for no reason at all.”

Pink eye is a symptom of Covid-19. Saying that for no reason at all.

— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) October 8, 2020

Could be cornea-virus.

— Brian Sack (@brian_sack) October 8, 2020

Eye issues cross party lines. Joe Biden also had eye woes back in 2019, when blood appeared in the corner of his eye during CNN’s climate town hall meeting.

Face facts

Sen. Kamala Harris didn’t seem to have an eye injury, but her face still made headlines, namely for her silent but powerful expressions, most aimed at Pence.

“Kamala’s face when Pence is talking is the same face my mother made whenever I was explaining why I didn’t make curfew,” wrote one Twitter user. Wrote another, “That’s a middle school teacher face.”

Kamala’s face when Pence is talking is the same face my mother made whenever I was explaining why I didn’t make curfew. pic.twitter.com/GJ9M3MKVK2

— Carolina A. Miranda (@cmonstah) October 8, 2020

That’s a middle school teacher face

— Amy Murphy (@MurphyTeachSci) October 8, 2020

same energy #VPDebate pic.twitter.com/g7PinUZoHH

— alex (@alex_abads) October 8, 2020

There’s a face women make when men talk over them — a face we rely on when we can’t interrupt back for fear of being labeled ‘aggressive’ or ‘angry’.

The face says, “I know you think you’re smarter than I am, and you are wrong.”

I’d vote for that face. October 8, 2020

Can we all take a moment to appreciate how Kamala doesn’t have a poker face #VPDebate pic.twitter.com/B5AQoL2IfA

— Adam Pick A Senate Race Smith (@AdamJSmithGA) October 8, 2020

As someone who has spent a lifetime trying to “fix my face” in professional settings when ppl talk crazy

Kamala is giving me LIFE

b/c she aint even trying to fix her face!

I LIVE pic.twitter.com/0j2EGuXAgv

— Megan Ming Francis (@meganfrancis) October 8, 2020

same energy #VPDebate pic.twitter.com/g7PinUZoHH

— alex (@alex_abads) October 8, 2020

Naturally, not everyone was a fan of Harris’ expressions, especially conservative commentator Michelle Malkin, who called Harris “Smirkala” and tweeted, “Kamala’s sassy face may make Hollywood, Claudia Conway and BLM happy, but she looks like an impudent tweener.”

Kamala’s sassy face may make Hollywood, Claudia Conway and BLM happy, but she looks like an impudent tweener.

— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) October 8, 2020

Summing it up

And at least one tweet connected the two candidates’ appearances. “Kamala Harris’ stink eye vs. Mike Pence’s pink eye,” wrote one Twitter user.

Kamala Harris’ stink eye vs. Mike Pence’s pink eye. pic.twitter.com/qI6iI8MVx2

— Tamara Dhia (@tamaradhia) October 8, 2020

While this was the only vice presidential candidate debate, two more presidential debates are scheduled, one for slot online Oct. 15 and one for Oct. 22.