Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will be sparring tonight with California Gov. Gavin Newsom on the Fox News Channel. The event, known as “The Great Red vs. Blue State Debate,” will feature 90 minutes of discussion moderated by Sean Hannity and give both politicians a chance to shine in the primetime spotlight.
Here are all the details on the debate including how to watch it live tonight.
DeSantis vs. Newsom: The Great Red vs. Blue State Debate
When: Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023
Time: 9:00 pm ET
Where: Alpharetta, Georgia
Live Stream: Watch Below
Live Stream – DeSantis-Newsom Debate
The debate will stream live on FoxNews.com but a valid cable subscription is required to watch. The debate will also simulcast on Fox News Radio with no subscription required.
Watch: FoxNews.com (Subscription required)
Listen: TuneIn.com (Free)
TV Channel: The debate will air on Fox News at 9 pm ET.
The debate is risky for both men but much less so for Newsom. It’s already a 2-on-1 fight heading in and DeSantis will have the advantage of a friendly moderator on his side. However, there’s more risk involved for DeSantis since he’s currently running for the presidential nomination, and any missteps, even in friendly territory, will give the anti-Trump vote another reason to look at Nikki Haley.
According to Politico, the DeSantis team views the debate as an opportunity to preview a DeSantis-Biden matchup:
DeSantis and his team said they view the debate as a rare opportunity to rise above the GOP primary noise by taking the first crack at a Democrat who, they insist, might become the party’s nominee — not in 2028 — but next year. DeSantis’ camp contends that any of his Republican primary opponents would savor the occasion to debate Newsom on Fox News.
“We feel like it’s a great chance to showcase why the governor is the best candidate to beat the Democrats in November regardless of who they put up, Joe Biden or Gavin Newsom,” said a DeSantis adviser who was granted anonymity to discuss the Newsom debate’s dynamic.
Newsom has repeatedly said he has no interest in running next year and fully expects Biden’s campaign to continue apace. Should it not, Newsom has added that Vice President Kamala Harris is in pole position to take over for their party (though he hasn’t ruled out a future run).
That could all be well and good for the Florida governor if the night tilts in his direction. It’s hard to envision a scenario where Hannity lets things get out of hand in Newsom’s favor. It’s also hard to envision a scenario in which Hannit shuts his mouth for five seconds to let anyone else talk. If every question is a five-minute monologue lead-in, it’s going to be a long night.
Maybe this is a boon that DeSantis needs with Iowa caucus voters who are now deciding between him and Haley. Plenty of them will be watching. On the other hand, there’s a “punching down” element to it since Newsom isn’t running for President and DeSantis could be seen as wasting his time on this rather than putting every possible spare minute on the campaign trail.
The event kicks off at 9 pm ET and will last approximately 90 minutes.
