Gavin Newsom And Ron DeSantis To Square Off In Prime-Time Debate

California Governor Gavin Newsom and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will square off in a debate on Thursday (November 30) at 9 p.m. ET on Fox News. The 90-minute debate will be moderated by Sean Hannity.

The two are expected to face questions on a variety of topics, including inflation, the border, the economy, crime, and COVID-19.

"The debate will examine the vastly different approaches the two governors have and offer insights into their political philosophies as well as ambitions for the nation," Fox News said in a statement.

The debate comes as DeSantis tries to gain traction in the Republican presidential primaries. He is currently in a distant second place behind former President Donald Trump, polling at 12.6%. Trump currently leads the pack with 60%.

Newsom, on the other hand, is not running for president but is considered one of the top Democratic contenders expected to run in 2028. He hopes to use the debate to promote Democratic policies as part of an effort to help President Joe Biden win re-election.

"This is one of those moments where you have two heavyweights in the political arena that are gonna have an opportunity to go head to head and talk about substantive, real issues and governing philosophies that affect everyone's lives," Hannity told Politico in an interview ahead of the debate.