Rivalry between DeSantis and Newsom intensifies
- Political opposites Gov. DeSantis and Gov. Newsom are locked in a feud
- A political analyst says the rivalry helps both raise their profiles
- Newsom doesn't plan on running in 2024; DeSantis' poll numbers are stalled
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(NewsNation) — Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom has maintained he has no desire to join the 2024 presidential election, but that hasn’t stopped his growing rivalry with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate.
The two governors are on opposite ends of the political spectrum, each representing two of the largest and most influential states in the country.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom says there’s no chance “on God’s green earth” he’s running for president in 2024, but he wants to make clear that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running, is “weak” and “undisciplined” and “will be crushed by Donald Trump.”
What is being called one of the fiercest rivalries between Republicans and Democrats also represents a policy divide in the U.S.
Both governors have introduced legislation that deals with parental rights. Two bills dealing with parental rights are on the verge of being signed in California, including one that would allow children as young as 12 years old to enter mental health facilities without parental consent.
Parental rights is also a signature issue for DeSantis, who has made it his mission to remove instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade classrooms, saying parents should be the ones to deal with those subjects at home.
“They’re political polar opposites of each other. Eager to speak to their bases, one for the present campaign, one for the future presidential campaign,” political analyst Josh Vlasto said. “With an incumbent sitting president not engaging yet with Republican rivals. This is a great way for both of them to speak to their bases, engage them and get them fired up about different issues and build a future for their likely campaigns.”
Vlasto added that though we likely won’t see Newsom on the ballot this November, he believes it is likely that this rivalry will continue for years, likely into the 2028 presidential election.
DeSantis, who had been described as a rising GOP star capable of taking on former President Donald Trump, has stalled in the polls.
The DeSantis campaign recently laid off about a third of its staff members, saying it was taking aggressive steps to streamline operations.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
