Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) brought props to his highly anticipated debate against Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA).
DeSantis displayed a copy of Gender Queer: A Memoir, a graphic book written and illustrated by Maia Kobabe, during the pair’s discussion about education and parental rights. The governor contended it was an instance of a book taught in California’s public schools but banned from Florida’s curricula.
DESANTIS GOES FOR ‘HAIL MARY’ IN HIGH-RISK DEBATE AGAINST NEWSOM
“This is pornography. It’s cartoons aimed at children, and it’s wrong. This should not be in schools,” DeSantis said. “Some of it’s blocked out. You would not probably be able to put this on air.”
“How in the heck is that honoring parents’ rights when you’re bringing people from out of state to go around their parents’ backs and get life-altering surgeries?” he added.
That section of the debate, hosted by Fox News and broadcast without an audience from Georgia, provoked a passionate response from Newsom, who criticized DeSantis for being on a “book ban binge.”
“I don’t like the way you demean and humiliate people you disagree with, Ron,” he said.
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Anchor Sean Hannity went on to intervene and say many of the book decisions were made by local governments rather than state ones.
The debate was an opportunity for both DeSantis and Newsom to introduce themselves to a general election constituency, though only DeSantis is a declared candidate for president.
