Gov. Ron DeSantis‘s (R-FL) unwieldy showdown against Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) showcased a more combative style equipped with TV props that the Florida Republican wants to ride into next week’s fourth 2024 GOP primary debate.
But former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley is a different opponent to Newsom, and neither will be spared hard questions next Wednesday in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
FOUR TAKEAWAYS FROM DESANTIS-NEWSOM DEBATE: ‘LION’S DEN’
DeSantis’s decision to debate Newsom “paid off,” according to University of Michigan debate director Aaron Kall. The debate may not have been against a primary opponent but has provided his campaign with “some energy and positive media coverage,” Kall told the Washington Examiner.
“The three other candidates have no doubt all been practicing, but nothing serves as better preparation than a full-fledged 90-minute debate against a formidable opponent,” he said. “DeSantis will likely brag about beating Newsom in the debate and that voters should want him as the party’s nominee to take the fight directly to President [Joe] Biden.”
But Kall distinguished this and next week’s debate because, for instance, DeSantis was “greatly assisted by moderator Sean Hannity,” and it was a one-on-one matchup with Newsom, who has “a very liberal governing philosophy and vision for the country.”
In comparison, the primary debate will showcase himself, Haley, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who have more similar ideologies, in addition to being moderated by SiriusXM’s Megyn Kelly, NewsNation’s Elizabeth Vargas, and the Washington Free Beacon’s Eliana Johnson.
“DeSantis will likely continue to talk about his governing successes in Florida and use the personal stories of people he’s met on the campaign trail to validate his policy positions,” Kall, the co-author of Debating The Donald, said. “A more aggressive debate strategy against Haley is unlikely because DeSantis doesn’t have as much good material to work with, and there is also a risk of alienating undecided or fence-sitting voters.”
“The last three debates have been pretty positive experiences for DeSantis, and he’s come a long way from poor showings against Charlie Crist and Andrew Gillum [in Florida],” he added. “There may not be enough time left for DeSantis to rebound and turn things around this election cycle, but last night showed that the campaign may already be hedging its bets for 2028.”
Republican strategist Cesar Conda agreed with Kall that the primary debate can be differentiated because the Newsom iteration was about Florida and DeSantis’s record.
“Nikki Haley is doing well in the polls because she has both the executive experience and national security credentials that America needs right now,” the former chief of staff to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) said. “She has a lot of momentum, and I don’t think there is much that DeSantis or anyone else can do in a future debate to slow her down.”
DeSantis campaigned in South Carolina on Friday, since the Newsom debate was in Georgia, before spending this weekend in Iowa, six weeks before the opening nominating contest. DeSantis averages 17% support in the first-in-the-nation state, 30 percentage points behind former President Donald Trump and 3 points ahead of Haley, the RealClearPolitics average of polls finds.
University of Iowa politics professor Timothy Hagle repeated Kall’s point that the Newsom debate allowed DeSantis to delve deeper into policy than in its primary counterparts as Trump supporters were hoping Newsom would “diminish” DeSantis.
“In a sense, that almost makes it a preview of arguments we might see for the general election,” he said. “That might encourage some voters to support him in the Iowa caucuses and beyond if they are satisfied that he could effectively carry the Republican banner in the general election.”
But Ed Lee, director of Emory University’s Alben W. Barkley Forum for Debate, Deliberation, and Dialogue, asked how DeSantis plans to “chip away” at Trump’s polling lead “by besting Newsom.”
“People are just going to assume Trump would have [had] the same success,” he said. “Gavin Newsom has nothing to lose. He knows no one will remember this debate the next time he is on a ballot. The same can’t be said for DeSantis.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s campaign mocked DeSantis for the Newsom debate, contending it has “never been clearer that Ron DeSanctus doesn’t have his eye on the ball.” Trump has not taken part in any primary debates this year.
“Despite falling to FIFTH PLACE in New Hampshire and failing to gain any ground in Iowa for months, DeSantis appears to already be auditioning for a career in reality television, with [Thursday’s] circus with Gavin Newsom,” Trump spokesman Steven Cheung spokesman said. “DeSanctus better focus on Nikki ‘Birdbrain’ Haley, who has stolen all of his Never Trump RINO backers, or he will soon find himself polling beneath [former New Jersey Gov.] Chris Christie — a place nobody wants to be.”
In post-interviews, DeSantis has asserted that the Newsom debate demonstrated to Republican primary voters he is “the only guy running that’s got a record of winning and winning big for conservatives.”
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“Yes, winning elections big — we need to win; we haven’t won a lot of elections — but then delivering on all these promises,” DeSantis told Fox News on Friday. “I’ve delivered on 100% of my promises. If I tell you I’m going to build the wall, stop the invasion, take that to the bank, I am going to do it. If I tell you we’re going to go in there and deal with this swamp and drain it, I am going to do it.”
“This isn’t just lip service,” he said. “People know that I’m a leader who will go in there — I can serve two terms, which we need a two-term president — and get the job done. And I think that’s what we want.”
