Gubernatorial Debate: Gavin Newsom, Ron DeSantis To Discuss Visions of the Future

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will face off in November in a gubernatorial debate hosted by Fox News.

The media outlet announced the gubernatorial debate on Monday after the two governors had spent more than a year taunting and sniping each other. Sean Hannity will be responsible for moderating the debate between DeSantis and Newsom. The network called the gubernatorial debate "a red vs. blue state debate."

DeSantis-Newsom Debate

The 90-minute event will be held in Georgia and will air on Nov. 30 on Hannity's 9:00 p.m. prime-time program. However, it remains unclear whether or not the event will be broadcast live or include an audience, as the California governor requested that there be no audience.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Newsom, Nathan Click, said that they have agreed to the debate on the condition that there will be no cheering section, no hype videos, or any of the other crutches that the Florida governor was requesting, as per the Washington Post.

On the other hand, DeSantis' campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the development. A spokesperson for Fox News, Alexandra Coscia, also declined on Monday afternoon to provide more details regarding the debate between the two governors.

DeSantis on Monday said on social media that he welcomed "the opportunity to debate Gavin Newsom over our very different visions for the future of our country." The Florida governor, also a Republican presidential candidate who will take the stage in the second Republican presidential debate, hopes to shore up support from national voters.

He promises to export his vision of Florida to the rest of the United States. However, despite his efforts, DeSantis remains far behind former United States President Donald Trump in the polls.

Hannity said that he was looking forward to providing viewers with an informative debate regarding the everyday issues and governing philosophies that impact the lives of every American, according to Fox News.

Discussing Various Issues

During Hannity's exclusive interview with Newsom, the Fox News veteran first raised the idea of the California governor having a debate with the Florida governor. The latter officially signed on to participate in July.

The situation comes as Newsom sparked 2024 presidential speculation but later said he would not run for president against fellow Democrat President Joe Biden. He has repeatedly challenged DeSantis to debate on varying issues.

The first challenge was issued in September 2022 about migrants' flights to the Massachusetts liberal enclave of Martha's Vineyard. It was a move that forced discussion on sanctuary immigration policies.

DeSantis' decision to debate a politician not running for president is nearly without precedent. The move is seen as a marker of just how far behind the Florida governor is behind Trump that he is going to extreme lengths to shake up the dynamics in the presidential race as he has spent the last few months losing ground and not garnering sufficient support to overtake the former president, said the New York Times.