California Governor Gavin Newsom and Florida Governor. Ron DeSantis

turned their feud over blue and red state policies into personal action on Thursday, acting as proxies for blue and red America on Thursday,

clashing for over 90 minutes

on crime, taxes, policies surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, immigration, book bans and other divisive issues where the state provided the better model for the country’s future

in an unorthodox debate that both men hoped would boost their national political ambitions.

California has “failed because of its left-wing ideology,” DeSantis said of Newsom, whom he called a “slick politician.” “There’s one thing … we have in common,” Newsom said. “Neither of us will be our party’s nominee in 2024.”

The forum

in Georgia

between the liberal Democrat and the conservative Republican, hosted by Sean Hannity on Fox News, culminated in months of shadowboxing between the two governors, who have taken advantage of the

Opposing partisan approaches to governing to attack each other.

Newsom was on the defensive for much of the debate, while Hannity focused on taxes, crime, late-term abortions, California’s high gas prices and other issues over which conservatives believe they have the political upper hand. Newsom responded by ignoring or rephrasing many of the questions. The matchup gave voters a rare taste of a choice they could face in the coming years. Newsom and DeSantis are trying to represent the next generation of leaders in a country with an aging class of political figures.

DeSantis, who has seen his once promising presidential campaign come to an end, saw an opportunity to take down the leader of the most prominent Democratic-led party.

state, which he

has

attacked as a bastion of unhinged progressive policies that led to this

homeless,

lawlessness and

mass departures and left-wing indoctrination in schools

.

California vs. Florida: The Newsom-DeSantis rivalry is part of an epic culture war

Newsom, who may run for president in 2028, saw an opportunity to cement his reputation as a fighter for democratic values ​​without fear of Fox News and

fanatic

Republicans, because he’s furious

Rev

DeSanti’s view of freedom as bogus in a state where books are banned and abortion rights are curtailed.

The risks for both men were clear. Some viewers may see the obvious demotion in DeSantis’ campaign as he battles a governor who is not running for president, rather than former President Trump, the overwhelming favorite to win the Republican nomination, or president Biden, the man he ultimately hopes to dethrone. Newsom could appear too eager for attention

and overconfident in believing that he could dispatch DeSantis, who was well prepared, in a debate moderated by Hannity because he was unwilling to cede the stage to Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris, the leaders of his side.

It is unclear whether Thursday’s debate will change opinions on the policy. But viewers were presented with a stark contrast in a country where disagreements are more often expressed in states, which are increasingly dominated by a single party.

DeSantis wholeheartedly defended his war on Wake, including policies aimed at ending drag shows, limiting discussion of gender in schools, restricting abortion and cracking down on companies that promote diversity and inclusion efforts . He hit Newsom over California’s massive homeless population and crime in big cities, issues that would likely haunt Newsom if he were to run for the White House. Newsom stood behind his efforts to cast California as the anti-red state, with policies protecting women having abortions or teens trying to access transgender care that is limited in other states. He slammed DeSantis for curbing speech in schools with policies that limit discussion of gender and systemic racism and leave more of its residents uninsured than most other states.