Looking ahead: Ron DeSantis campaign sees ‘increased significance’ to upcoming Gavin Newsom debate

DeSantis newsom
'The next debate will be the biggest one yet.'

With the third Republican presidential debate having come and gone, Ron DeSantis is turning his attention to yet another televised exchange of ideas.

In three weeks, the Florida Governor debates his California counterpart, Democrat Gavin Newsom, on the Fox News Channel. And on Thursday, Team DeSantis declared that debate will have “increased significance,” as it continues to promulgate the idea that President Joe Biden ultimately will not run for re-election in 2024.

“The next debate will be the biggest one yet,” said Campaign Manager James Uthmeier.

“As Democrats ramp up their efforts to replace the historically unpopular and failed Joe Biden as their nominee, Ron DeSantis’ showdown with Gavin Newsom is even more timely. A Newsom presidency would accelerate America’s decline, and November 30th will be the first chance to expose to a national audience just how dangerous his radical ideology would be for the country. Ron DeSantis will take this responsibility seriously and looks forward to sharing the stark contrast between his vision to revive our nation and Newsom’s blueprint for failure.”

DeSantis has suggested in stump speeches for weeks now that Biden may be off the Democratic ticket, replaced by Newsom or Vice President Kamala Harris. But the Governor’s campaign pushing this story going into the Veterans Day weekend suggests the narrative importance of the Fox News face off three weeks from now.

Ironically given DeSantis has been an active presidential candidate since late Spring, and an obvious pre-candidate before that, bettors on the 2024 presidential race see Newsom as a much better bet for the White House than the Florida Governor.

According to the Election Betting Odds website, Newsom has an 11% chance of winning it all, in third place behind Biden and former President Donald Trump. He is ahead of Nikki Haley (5.3%) and Robert Kennedy Jr. (3.5%).

DeSantis is regarded as more of a long shot, with a 2.9% chance of winning. Former First Lady Michelle Obama, at 3.2%, actually leads him, suggesting that DeSantis’ campaign needs the spectacle of the Newsom debate to overcome troublesome optics.

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. His work also can be seen in the Washington Post, the New York Post, the Washington Times, and National Review, among other publications. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


13 comments

  • Earl Pitts "The Big Voice On The Right" American

    November 9, 2023 at 6:30 pm

    No Biden will not be allowed to run. Neither will the “Significance Of The Passage of Time” lady who somehow scrump ‘ed her way into the VPOTUS position.
    Our Great Nation is “ASSUMED” by The DNC to just be waiting on pins and needles for the announcement that the DNC is going to trot out “Good ”Ole Michelle O. for the Leftist POTUS win.
    Let me, Earl Pitts American, break down the word “ASSUMED” for you:
    It makes an “ASS” outta “U” “&” “ME” “ASS U ME (then throw in the “D”).
    Sage Political “word-play wisdom” indeed by me, Earl Pitts American.
    There you have it America, proof positive that we will have A REPUBLICAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE for the next 8 years.
    Sage word-play indeed by Earl Pitts American.
    Thank you America
    Earl Pitts “Word Play Don’t Lie” American

    • Elliott Grundy

      November 9, 2023 at 7:10 pm

      Earl many launguage experts hold the breakdown of words to have incredible significance in solving past (and sometimes future) events. I’ve been involved with many different types of people places and things which can’t be explained until experienced professionals backtrack the word-play break-down of what was said which lead up to the event’s in question.
      You may be cracking a code to the future in that same way we go back and crack the code(s) to past events and words that lead up to criminal activity.
      Elliott Grundy, Crminalogist (Retired)

      • Rick Whitaker

        November 10, 2023 at 6:33 am

        CRACK THIS CODE, WHY DOES EARL TALK ABOUT SPHINCTERS CONSTANTLY?

        • Silly Wabbit

          November 11, 2023 at 11:05 am

          He attwacted.

    • Rick Whitaker

      November 10, 2023 at 6:29 am

      EARL, ONCE AGAIN, WRONG

  • My Take

    November 9, 2023 at 6:33 pm

    The very idea of Benito DeSScumolini, a quasi-fascist, caĺling someone else “radicàl”!

  • Looker Koomer

    November 9, 2023 at 6:37 pm

    Friendly reminder that Stafford Jones is a tool of the establishment and a scuzz bag.

  • Karl

    November 9, 2023 at 10:51 pm

    The RNC say that candidates couldn’t participate in any other “unsanctioned” debates. So will he be banned from the debate in December? Or do the rule not apply to DeSanctus?

  • Sonja Fitch

    November 10, 2023 at 7:51 am

    Lol. Lol. Lol Desantis is such a Dork! Sticking out his tongue and smiling like a spaz Oh yeah Desantis is a dork and spaz! Can’t hide Desantis if you got the loser look!

  • Michael K

    November 10, 2023 at 8:16 am

    Ron reminds me of a man-child, running around blindfolded, swinging a stick trying to hit the piñata. But he always misses. He’s obsessed with California, drag queens, Gavin Newsom, boots and reboots. He’s a wrecking ball of destruction, devoid of any fresh ideas, allergic to inclusion, addicted to division, lusting for power and control. I think he’d like to be cool, but is too awkward and scripted, and increasingly bitter. He’s past his expiration date. Sad.

    • !My Take

      November 10, 2023 at 2:45 pm

      SA in an SS ĢOP.
      A city street thug in a party with designd on the nation.

      • My Take

        November 10, 2023 at 2:47 pm

        With a beer-hall sophistication in philosophy.

  • Biscuit

    November 11, 2023 at 11:14 am

    If I were a betting dog — and I am — I’d bet that, when it is over, Newsom is going to be walking off that debate stage with his tail wagging and DeSantis is going to have his tail between his legs by the end of the first round, where it will stay.
    Arf.

Comments are closed.


#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Jesse Scheckner, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704