Governor Showdown Shapes Up as DeSantis Agrees to Debate

(UnitedVoice.com) – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) and California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) could not be more politically opposite of one another. The conservative governor of the Sunshine State has made it his mission to root out wokeness. Meanwhile, Newsom has implemented some of the more progressive policies his state has ever seen. Both are free to do what they want in states controlled by their respective parties.

The two men have also engaged in repeated attacks on one another over the last couple of years. Now, it appears they’ve agreed to a debate.

A Challenge

In June, Newsom appeared on Fox News for an interview with Sean Hannity. During their discussion, he said he would be open to debating DeSantis. On July 28, the California governor’s team sent a formal proposal outlining the rules.

It stated that Newsom had challenged DeSantis on “multiple occasions” to debate. He said he welcomed a “discussion on how Democratic policies are delivering real results for the American people.” The governor suggested the event be marketed as a Red v. Blue debate focused on state-level representation.

Sean Hannity would moderate the event if it takes place and would be required to give each of them equal time. The candidates must also promise they will not interrupt one another. Newsom’s proposed rules require only the two governors to speak, and only Hannity would moderate. The debate would take place at a Fox News studio for 90 minutes and be aired live, no notes will be allowed, and staffers would not be permitted to brief the participants after the debate starts.

Here is a formal letter Gavin Newsom’s team sent last week.

Offer 11/8 and 11/10 dates.

Accepts Hannity as sole moderator. No audience. https://t.co/2bcsLL3FR5 pic.twitter.com/wN458Cbuz0

— Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) August 3, 2023

Newsom stated he’s available on November 8th or November 10th.

On August 2, DeSantis told Hannity that he would be willing to debate Newsom. He said, “Absolutely, I’m game. Just tell me when and where.”

The Feud

DeSantis and Newsom have lobbed attacks at each other for years. During the lockdowns, many California residents moved to Florida. The conservative bragged it was because his state didn’t keep the lockdowns in place as long as the progressive governor did.

In July 2022, Newsom targeted Florida residents with an ad that aired on Fox News. The California leader claimed freedom was “under attack” in the Sunshine State, accusing the GOP of “banning books, making it harder to vote, restricting speech in classrooms, [and] even criminalizing women and doctors.”

DeSantis responded to the ad, saying that he had never seen a California license plate in Florida until the last couple of years, now, they are all over the place.

Newsom visited Sarasota, Florida, in April. DeSantis’ former Press Secretary, Christina Pushaw, told the governor to go back to his own state, joking that he wasn’t getting his U-Hauls back.