Two politicians who are unlikely to be in next year’s November election participated in a debate Thursday night that has drawn national attention.
Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom held a 90-minute debate that was broadcast live on Fox News.
“It takes work to get California into a disaster, but that’s what Gavin Newsom has done since he became governor,” DeSantis said when asked about people leaving traditionally Democratic states.
He called Newsom’s attempts to protect his state from such criticism “sly and slippery.”
Newsom, for his part, has called DeSantis a divisive figure. He added that both debaters had something in common: “Neither of us will be our party’s candidate in the 2024 elections.”
DeSantis, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, was previously considered a possible front-runner.
But his campaign has failed to reduce former President Donald Trump’s double-digit lead either nationally or in states that hold primaries first.
Newsom is trying to position himself as a leading Democratic voice nationally and a potential contender in the 2028 election. Meanwhile, he has thrown his full support behind President Joe Biden, who is seeking re-election despite complaints from Democrats about his age and unpopularity.
“Gavin Newsom’s California is a model of American decline,” DeSantis’ campaign said in a document distributed to supporters before the debate.
Florida was the fastest-growing state in the country last year, according to the Census Bureau. More than 650,000 people moved to the Sunshine State between 2020 and 2022. During roughly the same period, California’s population decreased (for the first time in history) by about 600,000 people.
Border security has become a major topic of debate.
“This is the Biden-Harris-Newsom vision: open borders, Americans suffering and continuing to die from fentanyl overdoses,” DeSantis said. “Unfortunately, at some point there will be a terrorist attack that we will be able to trace back to our southern border.”
Newsom responded by accusing DeSantis of playing “political games” with immigration issues.
“And by the way, did it help you, Ron? – She asked sarcastically. “You lost 41 percentage points in your own state.”
