Debating Democrat Newsom Poses Risks for GOP’s DeSantis

Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis will use a televised debate against California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday night to showcase himself as the best Republican candidate to challenge President Joe Biden in next year’s election.

The face-off with Newsom, a key Biden ally who is widely expected to run for president in the future, will provide DeSantis with an opportunity to highlight his conservative vision for the country in contrast to the Democrats’ more liberal agenda, giving a preview of the 2024 general election debates.

Republican strategists said it’s a risky move for the Florida governor. With the Republican nominating contest set to begin in Iowa on Jan. 15, DeSantis is currently trailing former President Donald Trump, the clear frontrunner, in opinion polls, and he cannot afford to make a misstep against Newsom, a skilled debater looking to raise his own national profile.

“He wants to show he’s capable of engaging with a high-quality Democrat,” said Charlie Gerow, a Republican strategist who has worked on presidential campaigns. “But if he stumbles, it will be a blow to his campaign when he really needs to perform well so close to the first nominating contest in Iowa.”

The 90-minute debate in Georgia, moderated by Fox News host Sean Hannity, is set to begin at 9 p.m. ET. DeSantis and Newsom have frequently criticized each other’s governing styles, and the event is expected to highlight their sharply different approaches.

Although DeSantis is scheduled to meet several of his Republican rivals in Alabama next week for their fourth debate, his aides have labeled the match-up with Newsom as the “biggest one yet.” They assert that Newsom could potentially be a presidential contender as early as next year, even though the governor has pledged to support Biden’s candidacy.

“Ron DeSantis looks forward to sharing the stark contrast between his vision to revive our nation and Newsom’s blueprint for failure,” DeSantis campaign manager James Uthmeier said in an email.

Nathan Click, a Newsom adviser, stated that his team was “shocked” when DeSantis agreed to the California governor’s proposal to debate.

“The fact that he finally accepted as his campaign was circling the drain shows just how bad DeSantis needs to distract from his disaster of a candidacy,” Click said.

DeSantis was once seen as Trump’s most formidable challenger, but his campaign has been marred by infighting, staff turnover, and shifts in direction. He has also struggled to attract many of the former president’s supporters.

The Trump campaign did not comment on the debate.

Despite some voters potentially viewing it as a sideshow, several Republicans believe this unusual event is a crucial opportunity for DeSantis.

“He badly needs a breakout moment. DeSantis is more than 40 percentage points behind Trump in national polls. And he’s tied with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley in Iowa and is trailing her in New Hampshire, whose nomination contest follows Iowa’s,” said John Feehery, a Republican strategist not affiliated with any of the campaigns.