Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida escalated his feud with California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday, daring the West Coastline Democrat to “prevent pussyfooting about” and start a key challenge towards President Joe Biden.
DeSantis, who introduced his presidential campaign late previous month, took on Newsom during a news conference in Florida in which he was questioned about Newsom’s new responses to Fox Information agreeing to a hypothetical debate with DeSantis hosted by Sean Hannity.
“He’s got substantial issues in his point out –- I suggest, like, substantial difficulties in his condition,” DeSantis reported. “Nevertheless with all all those issues, he has a actual critical fixation on the state of Florida. I feel it’s just strange.”
DeSantis then turned to the Democrats’ 2024 principal election, in which Biden is experiencing only token opposition.
“You know what? Halt pussyfooting all-around,” DeSantis stated. “Are you gonna toss your hat in the ring and obstacle Joe? Are you heading to get in and do it? Or are you just gonna sit on the sidelines and chirp?”
DeSantis’ jab comes as he shies away from confrontation with his main rival in the GOP’s White Property key, previous President Donald Trump. Newsom has earlier mentioned he would not challenge Biden in 2024 but has taken ways to enhance his national profile in the latest months.
Whilst numerous of Trump’s Republican rivals have raised concerns about his federal indictment, DeSantis has mostly averted the issue. The governor built only a quick point out of the costs in a weekend speech to the North Carolina GOP in the course of which he focused his censure on the Justice Office and the Biden administration.
DeSantis has been substantially much more willing to lean into fights towards Democrats and the media.
For case in point, a professional-DeSantis tremendous political motion committee produced a video Thursday titled “Punching Back again” that highlights DeSantis’ frequent confrontations with the media.
A Newsom spokesperson did not respond instantly to DeSantis’ newest feedback, but did observe that Newsom attended Disneyland’s Pride evening this week with company CEO Bob Iger. Disney has sued DeSantis, alleging the governor undertook a “focused marketing campaign of government retaliation” right after the enterprise opposed a Florida regulation that critics connect with ” Do not Say Homosexual.”
Ace Smith, a senior Newsom adviser, responded to DeSantis’ new broadside on Twitter: “Your whining is quite unpresidential!”
