On Nov. 30, Fox News’ Sean Hannity will host a 90-minute discussion between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and California Governor Gavin Newsom, the network said in a press release on Monday.
The debate will be broadcast on Hannity’s show bearing his name from Georgia, though the precise site in the crucial swing state is still “to be determined.”
In a post on X, the website that replaced Twitter, DeSantis stated, “I look toward the opportunity to debate Gavin Newsom regarding our very different visions for the future of our country.”
“The contrast between Florida’s success and California’s failures shows that Ron DeSantis is correct: decline is merely a choice,” said Andrew Romeo, a spokesperson for DeSantis’ campaign.
“Whether Newsom or Biden is the Democratic nominee in ’24, they both offer the same dangerous and failed worldview for America that is partly to blame for our current predicament. We look forward to measuring Ron DeSantis’ track record of achievement against it,” he added.
In a statement, Nathan Click, a spokesman for Newsom, stressed that they “want a real debate — not a circus” and that they had “agreed to the debate — given there is no cheering section, no hype videos, or any of the other crutches Desantis requested.”
Early in August, the two ideologically opposed governors decided to face off against one another. However, talks stagnated because of the proposed rules for several weeks.
On the campaign trail, DeSantis, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, frequently criticizes Newsom, portraying California as the failed liberal opposite of his home state of Florida.
DeSantis gave an audience at a campaign event in Grinnell, Iowa, his reasoning three days after accepting the offer to debate.
“One, Biden’s agenda is ultimately merely attempting to take the California agenda nationally anyways…. California leftism is somewhat how the Democratic Party operates,” he stated, asserting that “Biden might not be the candidate” and that Newsom may instead emerge as the Democratic front-runner.
Despite persistent predictions that he would take on Biden in the primary, Newsom has dismissed talk that he may run for president.
He emphasized that Vice President Kamala Harris is Biden’s “natural successor” in an interview with Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” saying “President Biden is going to run, & we’re looking toward getting him re-elected.”
This week, DeSantis is also in the Golden State for a different political showdown: the second GOP primary debate, which will be held on Wednesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.