California Governor Gavin Newsom sat down with Fox News host Sean Hannity for an interview that aired last week in which he said he was willing to debate Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
The California Democrat has spent months attacking the popular Florida Republican, making outlandish claims about Florida’s economy and freedom compared to his state.
In the interview that aired last Monday, Hannity suggested that Newsom should challenge Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to a debate and asked him if he would agree to a 2-hour debate.
Newsom told Hannity that he would do a three-hour debate, adding that he was willing to debate DeSantis with only a day’s notice and “no notes.”
During a press conference on Florida’s budget last Wednesday, a reporter brought up Newsom’s challenge and asked Governor DeSantis if he would agree to debate the California governor.
In response, DeSantis chuckled, noting that Newsom has “huge problems in his state.” He pointed out that for years California’s population grew every year. Then Newsom became governor and people started “fleeing” the state, making Newsom the first California governor to oversee a “massive exodus.”
The Florida governor said while it is understandable that people living in “places with bad weather” might move to Florida, people from Southern California are moving to Florida “because of how bad the Democrat-controlled state and local governments are.”
DeSantis added that it is “just bizarre” that Governor Newsom has a “serious fixation” on Florida.
DeSantis said his response to Newsom is that he should “stop pussyfooting around” and challenge Joe Biden for the Democrat nomination. He asked if Newsom was “going to get in and do it” or if he was “just going to sit on the sidelines and chirp.”
DeSantis added that if Newsom runs for president, the two of them can “go ahead and talk about what’s happening.”
