Five Key Moments Newsom Desantis Debate

The high-stakes Newsom-DeSantis debate turned into name-calling and arguing, with the backdrop of the presidential campaign. Fox News.

The highly anticipated debate between California Governor Gavin Newsom and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, dubbed "The Great Red vs. Blue State Debate," turned into a heated exchange of insults and arguments over facts. Moderated by Sean Hannity, the event was supposed to be a contest of ideas, but instead became a verbal showdown with accusations of bullying.

The debate, held in a television studio in Alpharetta, Georgia, without a live audience, resembled a presidential debate, underscoring the high stakes for both governors. For DeSantis, it was an opportunity to revive his floundering campaign for president, while Newsom used the platform to introduce himself to a broader audience and redefine himself for conservative and moderate voters.

The debate quickly turned personal and nasty, with both governors taking jabs at each other. The coronavirus pandemic was a major point of contention, with DeSantis criticizing California's strict lockdown measures and Newsom accusing DeSantis of playing to the fringe of his party and causing unnecessary deaths.

The conversation also devolved into a shouting match when Newsom brought up DeSantis' threat of a fine against the Special Olympics for their vaccine requirement. Throughout the debate, Newsom needled DeSantis about his sinking support in the presidential race, even urging him to drop out and give another candidate a better shot at stopping Trump.

In a segment on abortion, Newsom pressed DeSantis on whether he would support a national ban, highlighting a law DeSantis signed banning abortion after six weeks. DeSantis repeatedly dodged the question, prompting Newsom to accuse him of supporting an extreme six-week national ban.

As the debate came to a close, DeSantis pulled out a printout from a user-generated app tracking human feces found on the streets of San Francisco, using it as a way to highlight California's homelessness crisis. He blamed Democrats for the lax attitude towards the issue, stating that it had contributed to the destruction of the quality of life in California.

The debate, which was meant to be a clash of governing philosophies, turned into a bitter and pugnacious showdown, with both governors using the platform to further their own political agendas. Despite the initial goal of sorting through clashing ideas, the event devolved into name-calling and arguing over facts, leaving viewers with a sense of disappointment and frustration.