Freedom wins: In red vs. blue state debate, DeSantis offers best case for successful governing
'The Great Red vs. Blue State Debate' was an opportunity for DeSantis to again show the kind of leader he is and his successes in Florida, apart from the silliness of GOP primary squabbles. Ingrid Jacques USA TODAY If you’re anything like me, the thought of a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump fills you with a mix of apathy and dread. That’s partly why I was hopeful to watch the debate Thursday night between two very different standard bearers for their respective parties: Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Kudos to both governors for agreeing to the match hosted by Sean Hannity on Fox News. Even if they won’t be the top candidates in 2024, the debate offered insight to what the future may hold. In fact, the nearly two-hour sparring match sounded more like a presidential debate than two governors battling over their differing governing philosophies. More on that later. Hannity billed the debate as a red-state, blue-state showdown that promised to get to the heart of some pressing issues, such as taxes, the economy, the border, energy and crime – concerns Americans continually say they care most about. And you really can’t get any more different in how two governors approach those things than Newsom and DeSantis.
Earth to Democrats:Biden presidency is a dumpster fire. How many warning signs do you need? The governors do share a few similarities:
They govern two of the most populous states in the country, and they are in their second terms, after having been reelected by wide margins last fall. And, unlike Trump (77) and Biden (81), both are solidly under the age of 75 (DeSantis is 45; Newsom 56). Apart from that, how they are leading their states is diametrically opposed. Red vs. blue in practice While this may have been their first face-to-face debate, the governors have long taken shots at one another. For instance, Newsom has actively run ads in Florida, promoting California as a place where “we still believe in freedom.” Clearly, “freedom” means something different to Newsom than it does to DeSantis.
A big reason Newsom needs to appeal to Floridians is because people are fleeing California and moving to states… like Florida. They are leaving the Golden State in droves because they are in search of freedom of another kind: lower costs of living, less suffocating taxes and regulation, and a government that doesn’t try to raise their kids for them. More than ever, families are choosing where to live based on a state’s politics and policies. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and California Gov. Gavin Newsom debated each other Thursday night on Fox News. The numbers speak for themselves. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 report on net domestic migration, Florida topped the list, gaining 318,855 people from other states. Texas and the Carolinas also saw large increases. Guess which state lost the most? California. That state saw the most out-migration, losing 343,230 of its citizens. New York and Illinois weren’t far behind.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opin...om-debate-fox-blue-states-losing/71746426007/
'The Great Red vs. Blue State Debate' was an opportunity for DeSantis to again show the kind of leader he is and his successes in Florida, apart from the silliness of GOP primary squabbles. Ingrid Jacques USA TODAY If you’re anything like me, the thought of a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump fills you with a mix of apathy and dread. That’s partly why I was hopeful to watch the debate Thursday night between two very different standard bearers for their respective parties: Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Kudos to both governors for agreeing to the match hosted by Sean Hannity on Fox News. Even if they won’t be the top candidates in 2024, the debate offered insight to what the future may hold. In fact, the nearly two-hour sparring match sounded more like a presidential debate than two governors battling over their differing governing philosophies. More on that later. Hannity billed the debate as a red-state, blue-state showdown that promised to get to the heart of some pressing issues, such as taxes, the economy, the border, energy and crime – concerns Americans continually say they care most about. And you really can’t get any more different in how two governors approach those things than Newsom and DeSantis.
Earth to Democrats:Biden presidency is a dumpster fire. How many warning signs do you need? The governors do share a few similarities:
They govern two of the most populous states in the country, and they are in their second terms, after having been reelected by wide margins last fall. And, unlike Trump (77) and Biden (81), both are solidly under the age of 75 (DeSantis is 45; Newsom 56). Apart from that, how they are leading their states is diametrically opposed. Red vs. blue in practice While this may have been their first face-to-face debate, the governors have long taken shots at one another. For instance, Newsom has actively run ads in Florida, promoting California as a place where “we still believe in freedom.” Clearly, “freedom” means something different to Newsom than it does to DeSantis.
A big reason Newsom needs to appeal to Floridians is because people are fleeing California and moving to states… like Florida. They are leaving the Golden State in droves because they are in search of freedom of another kind: lower costs of living, less suffocating taxes and regulation, and a government that doesn’t try to raise their kids for them. More than ever, families are choosing where to live based on a state’s politics and policies. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and California Gov. Gavin Newsom debated each other Thursday night on Fox News. The numbers speak for themselves. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 report on net domestic migration, Florida topped the list, gaining 318,855 people from other states. Texas and the Carolinas also saw large increases. Guess which state lost the most? California. That state saw the most out-migration, losing 343,230 of its citizens. New York and Illinois weren’t far behind.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opin...om-debate-fox-blue-states-losing/71746426007/