Gavin Newsome (D) apparently is trying to leverage / coerce Ron Desantis (R) into a debate? That appears to be the strategy. And Ron Desantis has zero reasons to debate Gavin Newsome ANYWHERE, ANY TIME.
Why is that? Gavin Newsome needs to build some kind of national recognition, especially against who is at the moment the # 2 Republican candidate in the 2024 presidential race who has some degree of national recognition.
Stats: The numbers tell the tale.
Gavin Newsom (D), governor, California deficit / surplus? -$22 to -$32 (?) Billion dollar deficit and massive loss of population.
Ron Desantis (R), governor, Florida deficit / surplus? +$22.1 Billion dollar surplus and massive population growth.
DeSantis Responds To Gavin Newsom's Offer To Debate Him With Sean Hannity Moderating - YouTube 1:53 min.
And, because Gavin understands that there is a high probability and a real potential that Joe Biden may not be the Democrat party machine candidate based on recent FBI confirmed information.
I.E. : "Son of a bitch! They fired him". Hubris thy name is Joe Biden: Joe Biden Brags about getting Ukranian Prosecutor Fired - YouTube
Gavin knows that Joe is in real political existential trouble regarding his policies, the incentivization of illegal immigration and the invasion of the country, inflation and many other real-world issues.
Including most of all the apparent existence of documentation and possible recordings of both Joe and his son Hunter setting up a multimillion dollar payoff in exchange for U.S. government policy / influence considerations? I.E. the forcing of the firing of the Ukraine prosecutor that was focusing on Burisma and Hunter. And who knows what else?
Gavin will not just throw his hat in the 2024 presidential race, not until Joe announces that he is "choosing to retire from politics and spend more time with his grandchildren". Or "Due to health reasons Joe will retire from politics and will not be running". Choose one, this possible exit remains to be determined if the Democrat party machine sees Joe as becoming an insurmountable in the general public's opinion liability.
That is what Gavin Newsome IMO reasonably now expects and he is who is most likely to take Joe's place in representing the Democrat party machine. Sounds reasonable to me.
And what about Kamala? What about Kamala? JGL 6/15/23
Follow up: Gavin Newsome (with family) being humanized in the media getting ready for his presidential run when he fills Joe Bidens place? Gavin Newsom's wife opens up after accident that sister (nypost.com)
No Kamala!