When Florida Governor Ron DeSantis proposed a two-minute pre-recorded video “opener” for their debate, a spokeswoman for California Governor Gavin Newsom called it a joke.
Voters are captivated by the prospect of a rhetorical fight between Governors DeSantis and Newsom; both have received emotional support and condemnation from the public.
When asked about DeSantis’ proposal to use rehearsed debate comments, Newsom’s office laughed it off.
According to media reports, conflicts between the two governors have arisen over the event’s structure as preparations reach their last stages.
A spokesman for Newsom, Nathan Click, reportedly said that DeSantis had utilized “cheat notes” and a “cheering section” to hide his uneasiness and lack of competence.
The draft guidelines show that Florida’s governor favors discussing in front of a live studio audience divided “50-50,” while California’s new governor, Gavin Newsom, would rather have an empty room.
Both governors are gearing up to defend their respective positions on the national stage, but they have found areas of agreement despite this. Reports state that the candidates settled on November 8 as the date for the debate and that Sean Hannity of Fox News would be the only debate questioner.
In an interview with Hannity, DeSantis said that record numbers of voters had left California under Newsom’s leadership because of the state’s leftist policies.
On an April trip to Florida, Newsom replied by criticizing DeSantis’ stance on “woke” education.
Despite persistent rumors to the contrary, reports say that Newsom has ruled out challenging President Joe Biden for the Democratic candidacy in 2024.
Currently, Trump is doing better than DeSantis in the GOP primary race, which prompted Newsom to mock DeSantis’ lack of campaign momentum, quipping sarcastically about Trump “kicking DeSantis’ ass.”
As candidates prepare for the August GOP debate, DeSantis has criticized former President Trump for possibly skipping the debate, saying that no one deserves the nomination without having to earn it.
