DeSantis Campaign Press Release - Ron DeSantis on the Ingraham Angle

DES MOINES, Iowa – Ron DeSantis tonight joined Laura Ingraham live on Fox News Channel's The Ingraham Angle. The highlights are below.

Watch the full interview HERE.

On Nikki Haley's false claims about his record on China:

I banned China from buying land in the state of Florida. I kicked China out of our universities, these Confucius Institutes, and we've cracked down on them taking our trade secrets. No governor in the country has done more to stand up to the Chinese Communist Party. Nikki Haley, on the other hand, when she was governor, she was the number one governor in America of bringing the Chinese Communist Party into her state. They gave land near a military base for a Chinese company. She went to a Chinese company right in front of the Chinese flag and said that she works for them. And of course, she said China is a friend. Now she's trying to act tough because she knows how toxic those positions are with Republican primary voters. But here's the thing, her donors, these liberal donors in California and on Wall Street, they make money in China. She would not stand up to China. And so I think the Haley as Governor, that would be the Haley you would get. So it's a clear contrast. She's grasping at straws to try to do the nonsense. And I think what they're trying to hit me on is something that happened in Florida before I was even governor. So you know, if they're hitting you for things that your predecessor did, I must have done a pretty doggone good job.

On working to earn the support of Iowans in the closing stretch:

This is a race to get the majority of the delegates. We've done Iowa the way people who have done well in Iowa have done -- which is beyond the ground, create the organization. The polling has never predicted how the results come out because it's a caucus, and it's just a different beast. And so we're doing what it takes to win. I've been to all 99 counties, and we're going to be able to do a lot more. But it's an important part of the process that you actually come and take questions from people, answer their questions, even participate in debates. And so we're going to be participating in a debate on CNN. The former president has declined that, but Governor Haley is going to do it. So it's going to be a one on one debate between me and Nikki Haley. So I'm looking forward to doing that, and that'll just help the voters be able to make their best decision going forward.

On why Donald Trump owes it to Iowans to debate:

The right thing to go is to stand and talk about your record. Why shouldn't he have to answer questions? I mean, he's running on things like deporting illegals and building a wall, but he did that in '16 and didn't get it done. So I think he owes answers to those questions. He has not been willing to do that. Obviously, if you go by polling, it hasn't hurt. But I think now that we're in the new year, I think voters do expect you to answer those questions. I think Iowans expect you to show up and debate.