California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have traded barbs over Twitter, but they’ve never seen each other in the same room.
That may be about to change before the next election.
DeSantis appeared on Fox News Channel’s Hannity Wednesday, and he challenged Newsom to a debate.
Fox News host Sean Hannity asked DeSantis, “You heard Gavin make the offer [to debate.] You’re answer is?”
DeSantis responded that he’s up for debating Newsom — and challenged the Democratic leader to name a time and place.
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“Absolutely. I’m game. Let’s get it done. Just tell me when and where,” DeSantis said. “We’ll do it.”
The Florida Republican went on to discuss the stakes of a debate.
“This is the debate for the future of our country. Because you have people like Joe Biden — they would love to see the Californi-cation of the United States,” DeSantis said. “I think if we go down that direction, that’s going to accelerate American decline.”
Take a look:
The debate between California and Florida is already over. People have been voting with their feet for years.
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) August 3, 2023
But the debate about the future of our country is one we need to have.
I'm game to talk about my plans to reverse the decline in this country anytime, anywhere, because… pic.twitter.com/BbUKix8s5E
Newsom first suggested a debate with DeSantis last year.
“Clearly you’re struggling, distracted, and busy playing politics with people’s lives. Since you have only one overriding need — attention –let’s take this up & debate. I’ll bring my hair gel. You bring your hairspray. Name the time before Election Day,” Newsom tweeted in September, in a tweet tagging both CNN and DeSantis.
However, Newsom has expressed openness to venues other than CNN. In June, Newsom agreed to a debate hosted by Fox News and moderated by Sean Hannity.
At the time, Newsom was asked about the possibility of a two-hour debate on Fox News.
“Make it three,” Newsom told Hannity. “Make it four. I would do it. One day’s notice with no notes! I look forward to it… I’ve offered it. I’ve been trying to debate him for years.”
Hannity intends to moderate a debate by offering a one-word prompt — like “economy” — and then instructing the two governors to talk for one minute each. He’s also been planning to make the debate part of a series.
“I want to start a series of debates and get some of the best, brightest, leading conservative minds and some of the best, brightest left-wing minds,” Hannity told Newsom in June. “Gov. DeSantis, Gov. Newsom, economy!”
Hannity reiterated his plan Wednesday. The Fox host told DeSantis, “I floated the idea of a policy-based debate, you know, red vs. blue.”
Take a look:
Watch: Hannity to Newsom: “You would do a two-hour debate with Ron DeSantis?”
— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) June 13, 2023
“Make it three,” Newsom responds. “I would do it with one day’s notice with no notes. I look forward to that.” pic.twitter.com/I5Nz7euwEY
Hey @GovRonDeSantis, clearly you're struggling, distracted, and busy playing politics with people’s lives. Since you have only one overriding need -- attention --let's take this up & debate. I’ll bring my hair gel. You bring your hairspray. Name the time before Election Day. @CNN https://t.co/vTJHQxfArW
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) September 16, 2022
Newsom’s team named Nov. 8 and Nov. 10 as possible dates for the debate.
“Governor Newsom has been challenging DeSantis to debate for months and sent him a formal debate offer last week,” a Newsom spokesperson sais in a statement obtained by NBC News. “Nov. 8 or 10 — DeSantis should put up or shut up. Anything else is just games.”
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In a letter, the governor laid out the terms, like a 90-minute runtime filled with speaking turns lasting 90 seconds. He requested to debate live on Fox News Channel, from a swing state, without any live audience. He also demanded that neither participant use notes or receive briefings from his staff.
“A coin toss will determine which Governor will go first for opening remarks. Each Governor will receive 4 minutes maximum to speak for their opening. Each Governor will get alternate turns,” Newsom said in the letter. “At the moderator’s discretion, the discussion of the question may be extended by 30 seconds per candidate… Each Governor’s closing remarks will be 2 minutes.”
Some skeptics have characterized the debate as a P.R. move for each governor’s PAC,, instead of a sincere attempt to chart a path forward.
“Proposing to debate DeSantis on CNN (about what, immigration policy neither of them controls?) does nothing to address migrant issues,” a viral blog post said last year. “It’s all about how these issues can be used to draw attention to Gavin Newsom.”
Newsom and DeSantis are drawing on precedent. Two political rivals — independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas — debated each other on CNN in 2017. They addressed topics like the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs act and the 2010 Obamacare “Affordable Care” Act.
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