California Gov. Gavin Newsom appeared on Fox News with Sean Hannity, former President Trump’s pipe into the American bloodstream, and seemed happy to troll Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis.

Newsom said Trump would “clean the clock” in the Republican presidential primary and readily accepted Hannity’s challenge to debate the conservative Florida governor. Three days later, Mr. DeSantis hit back, saying Mr. Newsom had a “bizarre” obsession with Florida and that he should “stop pranking” and run for president.Hours later, DeSantis’ campaign Started selling T-shirts $34.47 with the slogan.

The problem for DeSantis is that every time he fights back against Newsom, he ends up in a fight with the wrong man.

Newsom and DeSantis aides agree that there is no greater political dichotomy at this time than between California and Florida and their governors. But at least for now, competition benefits one person more than the other.

According to Tallahassee resident Nick Iarossi, Mr. DeSantis is campaigning for the 2024 presidential election, and rather than “thumping” him in a fight with the governor, he’s looking for a candidate en route to the White House. In other words, it would be more profitable to spar with Mr. Trump and President Biden. Lobbyist and unofficial advisor to DeSantis.

“Newsome was just a gnat and a mosquito trying to annoy you and distract you from what was really going on in his state,” Iarossi said.

Newsom’s aides agree that the governor of Florida has been relatively disciplined in ignoring Mr. Newsom’s remarks in order to appear presidential. But they celebrate every time DeSantis takes the bait, raising Newsom’s national profile and giving him a chance to fight DeSantis in a way that helps Biden in the presidential race.

Former California Governor Jim Devee said, “For Newsom, all he has to do is tell him he got hit, and he can keep the tee shot.”

During an interview with Fox News earlier this month, Newsom defended Biden’s “bipartisan” record as commander-in-chief in full force. He dismissed Mr. Hannity’s claims that Mr. Biden doesn’t have the cognitive capacity to run for re-election, and praised the president’s efforts to revitalize the semiconductor industry, infrastructure bills and anti-inflation bills.

While acknowledging California’s homelessness crisis, Newsom pushed back against constant Republican attacks on himself and the state, boasted of a thriving economy, and disputed the argument that more Californians fled to Florida than vice versa. .

“Florida falls short, with all due respect,” Newsom said. “Eat your fill, Texas. California continues to be America’s leading economic engine. [people]”

Newsom’s performance drew national praise from Democrats and some Republicans. DeSantis’ decision and response to do the same show he’s not “prepared for prime time,” Deboux said. “He answered in a way that a sixth-grade bully would answer something, as opposed to a presidential candidate.”

Mr. Iarossi argues that Mr. DeSantis’ response was meant to rouse Republican voters in California on the eve of a fundraiser for the Golden State. Iarossi said DeSantis raised more money in California in the first 24 hours of his campaign than in any other state, including Florida.

DeSantis on Monday Campaign video released It calls attention to a “great experiment in governance philosophy” between the two states, dragging down California’s crime, homelessness crisis and population decline. The next day he Publish another video of yourself “In the once great city of San Francisco.”

“We came here and saw people defecating in the streets,” DeSantis said on the rubbish-strewn sidewalk. “We saw people using heroin. have done.”

Iarossi said California and Florida border, as an example, allowing DeSantis to show why a conservative style of governance works. It’s also a smarter play for DeSantis than a direct exchange with Newsom.

“I don’t expect Gavin Newsom to be the focus going forward,” Iarossi said. “He’s trying to elect the next president of the United States, so there’s no reason to get into a fight with other governors.”

Democrats nationwide see Newsom’s efforts as helping the party and helping Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris win reelection.

“The big problem we’ve had for a long time is, despite DeSantis’ remarkable national profile, what do people think of him,” said Serinda Lake, a Democratic strategist based in Washington, D.C. I didn’t even know that,” he said. and the extreme position he was taking. ”

Newsom is appealing it to voters across the country, she said.

California’s governor has lashed out at DeSantis for banning sexual orientation and gender identity instruction in Florida schools, calling critics of the bill “Don’t say gay.”

DeSantis fought Disney and took control of government services in the Disney World theme park district after Disney publicly opposed the legislation. Newsom posted a video of himself watching the first-ever LGBTQ+ “Pride Night” at Disneyland in Anaheim.

Newsom called DeSantis a “poor little man” and threatened to sue him for kidnapping after the administration helped transport immigrants from Texas to California. In an interview with Fox, he questioned what “faith traditions” support moving people from one state to another and dehumanizing them for political gain. Presented.

The National Democratic Party’s flattery of Newsom marks a change from last year, when Newsom resented that the party was not doing enough to boost Republican policy and raise public awareness of the president’s ambitions.

“I think some people were frustrated, but I think most people are very happy now,” Lake said. “He did it in a very engaging and approachable way and was very helpful in defining DeSantis, which was a major business.”

Newsom has made it a personal mission to highlight and combat far-right policies.

A year ago, the governor garnered headlines across the country with a re-election ad for Florida comparing red state and California laws on abortion, banned books and other subjects. DeSantis in April signed the bill into law Prohibition of abortion after 6 weeks of pregnancy. The California Constitution guarantees the right to have an abortion, and Mr. Newsom is calling on women from other states to come for services that are illegal in other states.

Newsom also embarrassed DeSantis when he donated $100,000 through the California Democratic Party to a political action committee supporting Democratic challenger Charlie Christ in the 2022 Florida gubernatorial election. rice field.

Newsom formally announced his fight against the Republican Party this spring, transferring $10 million in state campaign funds to a new federal PAC, Campaign for Democracy. He said he set it up to help Democrats and push back Republican leaders in the 2024 election.

He has also acted as Biden’s agent since the president announced his intention to run for re-election. During Mr. Biden’s recent visit to California, Mr. Newsom said “no president in modern American history has done more” in combating climate change. He co-hosted a fundraiser for the president in Marin County.

Mr. Newsom has become even more vocal in his denial of any interest in the White House. In interviews with Mr. Hannity, he refused to fall on the moderator’s decoy or to discuss whether he had been solicited to run.

Newsom is not participating in the 2024 presidential election, but if he does, “the game is on,” Mr. Iarossi said.

“We have two governors from two big, powerful states who have diametrically opposed political philosophies and leadership styles,” Mr Iarossi said. “It’s going to be a battle over America’s future and which direction we’re headed.”

Don’t rule out the possibility of that matchup happening in 2028.