DeSantis Hits Newsom With Damning Ultimatum
As speculation mounts that popular California Gov. Gavin Newsom could jump into the 2024 presidential race in a direct challenge to incumbent President Joe Biden, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis jabbed Newsom on Thursday for his “fixation” on Florida and dared him to quit “pussyfooting around” and officially enter the race.
“Yet with all those problems, he has a real serious fixation on the state of Florida,” DeSantis said during a press conference in Fort Pierce, referring to California’s economic and social woes.
“I think its just bizarre that he does that. What I would tell him is you know what, stop pussyfooting around. Are you going to throw your hat in the ring and challenge Joe? Are you going to get in and do it or are you just gonna sit on the sidelines and chirp? Why don’t you throw your hat in the ring, and then we’ll go ahead and talk about what’s happening,” he concluded.
DeSantis’ criticism came after Newsom told Fox News host Sean Hannity earlier this week that he would be “all in” for a three-hour debate with DeSantis if the rumors are true that the Florida governor is eyeing a 2024 run for the White House.
No stranger to the national spotlight, Newsom is reportedly laying the groundwork for a presidential bid beyond 2024. In April, Newsom raised money for Biden during a fundraiser in Washington, despite his withering critique of DeSantis — first elected in 2018 — and other Republican politicians.
Highlighting the sentiment towards a presidential bid from the California governor, the Quinnipiac University poll released in March found that 70% of California voters, including a majority of Democrats, opposed the idea of Newsom running for the White House — with only 22% hoping he jumps into the fray.
Although there isn’t any evidence that would suggest Newsom is seriously considering launching a bid for the White House, his jabs at DeSantis — and the Florida governor’s swift rebuttal — have only further increased the intrigue.
DeSantis is currently considered a frontrunner in the GOP presidential primary race, which already has several declared candidates and several more likely entrants. It remains to be seen if Newsom takes DeSantis’ challenge and gives it a shot in the very crowded race.
DESANTIS responds to Gavin Newsom:
“He has a real, serious fixation on Florida, but what I would tell him is … stop pussyfooting around. Are you going to throw your hat in the ring and challenge Joe? Or are you going to sit on the sidelines and chirp? Why don't you throw your… pic.twitter.com/WGKDPMXKtD
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) June 15, 2023