DeSantis Campaign Press Release - WTAS: DeSantis Dominates Newsom

"If this was a fight then Ron DeSantis won by TKO" "I think Ron DeSantis crushed Gavin Newsom" "DeSantis has totally wiped the floor with Newsom"

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Ron DeSantis dominated Gavin Newsom in last night's debate on Fox News.

Here's more of what they are saying about Govenor DeSantis' brutal takedown of Governor Newsom.

Joe Concha: If this was a fight then Ron DeSantis won by TKO.

James Woods: It's a blessing for DeSantis that California doesn't enforce criminal laws anymore. Because he murdered Newsom tonight.

Ainsley Earhardt: People were going down to Florida in droves. We cannot forget COVID because it could happen again. And do you remember Ron DeSantis was such a hero during that time period. They weren't making kids get vaccinated in their schools. He let parents make choices ... Ron DeSantis was letting people go to Disney World, out on the beaches, they didn't have to get vaccinated, they didn't have to wear their masks.

Washington Examiner: Newsom boosted Trump and Haley because Democrats only fear DeSantis

Glenn Beck: [DeSantis] was stunning last night.

Piers Morgan: This was a great debate between two smart, young politicians with very different views and policy ideas. Congrats @seanhannity for making it happen and to @RonDeSantis @GavinNewsom for showing America there may be a 2024 alternative to a Trump/Biden rematch nobody wants.

Georgia Voter: I think he did absolutely amazing. I'm sure that he brought the thunder.

Carly Atchison : It was just a masterclass from Ron DeSantis on how to beat the left with facts ... He showed up, he defended his record. Not everybody can say the same, including Donald Trump, who refuses still to debate and defend his record. I think it's very clear from last night's debate. There was no better messenger. No better fighter for our side Republicans than Ron DeSantis. And I think maybe for a lot of people, they're starting to see Ron DeSantis, not just as governor of Florida, but as President and as somebody they can get behind and see leading the country on the path of the Florida model. Taking that model, taking it to the White House and all across the country.

Michael Knowles: I think it was pretty clear DeSantis won the debate.

Cheryl Casconec: "The other great part of this is when DeSantis went after" LA's "disaster of a prosecutor" George Gascon.

Daily Wire: 'Epic Contrast Between Freedom Vs Statism': Commentators Weigh In On DeSantis, Newsom Debate

Dana Loesch: This was a gamble for DeSantis to do this debate ... this was one of the smartest gambles that the campaign has made. Super, super smart move.

Julie Hamill: As a California mom, I needed that debate. Newsom has never been held accountable for the harm he caused people like me and my kids. He's never apologized. Tonight is the closest thing I think we will ever get. A proven leader attacking Newsom's failures on a national stage, showing Americans what real leadership looks like and what our kids could have had (and can have, if we elect him). Thank you @RonDeSantis.

Georgia Voter: I think Ron DeSantis crushed Gavin Newsom.

Red State: Progressive Platitudes vs. Personal Stories: How DeSantis Strengthened His Likeability and Bested Newsom

Josh Holmes: Desantis helped himself a lot last night. Put himself at the center of the conversation for the first time since last February and did a nice job against a formidable opponent.

Governor Kim Reynolds: .@RonDeSantis tonight showed that he's the best candidate to take on the Democrats & Joe Biden in 2024.He delivers on his promises, will fight for us, and WIN. Proud to support him!

Dagan McDowell: I loved watching DeSantis.

Josh Hammer: DeSantis has totally wiped the floor with Newsom.

Tammy Bruce: This is important talking about facts and this is what I think Ron DeSantis did very well with. He was prepared, it was smooth, but also authentic, genuine guy.

Rep. John Dunwell: NEWSOM 's NIKKI: Gavin Newsom seems to love to boost Nikki Haley's lies about Ron DeSantis' record on fracking and offshore drilling. Haley received 4 Pinocchios for her lies.

Dana Loesch: Gavin Newsom is having an absolute meltdown over last night. His wife, the woman who tried bullying Rose McGowan into silence, ended the debate after he had a tantrum over DeSantis's props. This is hilarious:

Governor Kim Reynolds: I thought Ron made the case last night.

Will Cain: The story Newsome is selling: California has lower taxes than Texas, safest crime in 50 years, a booming economy, was more open through COVID than Florida, and people are moving to California from Florida. Rebuttal: Reality.

Nicki Neily: Governor @RonDeSantis made a strong case in the debate for parental rights and the restoration of excellence in education over harmful political activism: "The role of the school is to educate kids, not indoctrinate kids. It's not to impose an agenda, it's to do the basics."

Blaze: DeSantis lands knockout blow just minutes into debate with an assist from Newsom's own father-in-law

Guy Benson: Even if Newsom were less oleaginous and shamelessly deceitful, it's just impossible to defend California's governance right now - especially compared to Florida's.

Senator Mike Lee: DeSantis: "California has freedoms we don't have elsewhere-like the freedom to defecate in public."

Fox & Friends Panel:

Lawrence Jones: It was it was really a debate of facts versus the emotions. And I just wonder if the independent voters are going to buy the slick guy, or are they going to buy the facts that happened in Florida?

Brian Kilmeade: Right, I just don't think DeSantis is vulnerable on COVID. He's not vulnerable when it comes to taxes, it's zero tax in the state. People come there because they want additional opportunities. He's not vulnerable on illegal immigration. It was Gavin Newsom thought process, that bringing out Martha's Vineyard, and sending those illegal immigrants to Martha's Vineyard was bad. I'm saying underline that - say it again. Because it was great. It was an awareness that the illegal immigration problem is coming to a doorstep near you. It is not a border state issue anymore. I thought he did the country a service where I think the people on the left would think wow, that was so bad. They sent them to a beautiful area of the country and they quickly scooped them up and put them on a military base.

Ainsley: When you are watching this with a group of people, and you hear everyone gasp, you know that that was effective. And I think that Gavin Newsom ... he gave this laundry list of all the things that he had done in California, when it comes to clean energy when it comes to this or that. And then DeSantis' response was classic. He said, well, I met this guy the other day and he said he moved from California down to Florida. We were talking about why he did that and then he pauses and he says, by the way, I'm Gavin Newsom his father in law, he said your own father in law moved to my state.

Kurt Schlichter: She's the one who had sex with Harvey Weinstein, right?

David Reaboi: Thinking back on Newsom's performance last night-people say he's "slick," but he's more like "slithering." Haven't ever seen a politician with so much obvious insincerity when speaking in moral terms. It's one thing to lie about data or to make nonsense arguments; people are used to that in politicians. But his attacks on DeSantis on social and cultural issues fell totally flat. Maybe it's because Newsom seeks to project empathy while still being Alpha. Regardless, it was a dud. He was on firmer ground when outright dodging questions.

Phil Kerpen: Newsom calling DeSantis a lockdowner is absolutely surreal but it just shows how indefensible lockdowns have become.

Scott Morefield: There's no way in a million years Donald Trump could have come up with the barrage of cold hard facts it took to defeat the smooth talking Gavin Newsom in that debate. No way. It's not surprising that he doesn't want a piece of that. I wouldn't either if I were him.

Jenna Ellis: Newsom attacking DeSantis *WITH DONALD TRUMP'S POSITION ON ABORTION* should tell you all you need to know about voting your #prolife values in this primary.

Karol Makcowicz: Newsom thought he was going to just get to lie and not be fact-checked by Hannity. That did not happen. Cry about it, Gavin.

WPA Intelligence: Ron DeSantis and Gavin Newsom are squaring off tonight, but the Florida vs. California debate has been settled among Americans. Our polling found last year that 61% of voters say they would rather live in Florida over California, including 63% of Independents.

Mary Katherin Ham: Allies of Newsom/CA governance will make their next move to declare bringing up the defecation map is somehow undignified and unworthy of debate. But let us not lose sight of the fact that the problem is indeed that the city Newsom governed needs a poop app. That is undignified.

Miranda Devin: #GreasyGavin

Tom Shillue: Trump did call him a lockdown governor. People use whatever they have. I think Newsom did the Democrat playbook which is something that Biden and the Biden Administration has been doing which is: It doesn't matter. The facts don't matter. Go ahead and say, no, the border is not open, the border is secure. They just say the opposite of reality. They smile. They hope that the press does the cleanup work for them. That's the way Democrats - that's their look to the future.

AG Hamilton: DeSantis doing significantly better because the data is on his side. Newsom is an extremely talented politician and debater, but he has one of the worst-run states in the country and there is no getting around that.

Caleb Hull: Unbelievably predictable

Allie Beth Stuckey: Newsom was absolutely delusional for thinking it was a good idea to debate DeSantis. Completely and totally delusional

James Woods: The "Newsom San Francisco Poop Map" was #GreasyGavin's death blow. He couldn't smirk his way out of that one with all the Chiclet teeth in the world.

Joe Concha: This should be playing on a loop this morning on every morning show out there, but the usual suspects are barely talking about this debate at all because of where it was broadcast.

RedState: Delicious Post-Debate Crying From Newsom HQ as Report Hints at Moment His Team Knew He Was Done

Chris Loesch: I'm here for the ratio. I like David but this is a really bad take. DeSantis looked comfortable, like he was having fun and Newsom fumbled bad. He didn't answer any of the questions and was caught in a dozen bad lies. The Disney thing was a terrible unforced error and DeSantis hit it out of the park. The #PoopMap was also hilarious.

Chief Nerd: Gavin Newsom is Shown the Sexually Explicit Books He Criticizes DeSantis for Banning: NEWSOM: "We don't provide for K-3rd grade education that kind of curriculum...These guys make it up." 10 seconds later...NEWSOM: "What I find offensive is a very significant number of these books happen to be LGBTQ books."

Carly Atchison on NBC News4: I point out that Gavin Newsom's team selected Georgia as the place for this debate. That is a notorious swing state in a general election. And if you talk to a lot of these Democrats, they are very concerned about Joe Biden being on the ticket for them in 2024. And so it's not at all far-fetched that the idea that Gavin Newsom is going to come in at the last minute and be the Democratic nominee.

Rob Bluey: In their long-awaited debate, @GavinNewsom and @RonDeSantis did not disappoint, vigorously sparring on issues from crime to the border to gender transition for minors.

Stephen L. Miller: Bro, the other guy pulled out a piece of paper showing where people in your state just freely shit on sidewalks and your response is "yes, I would like to just keep shitting in public too."

Dr. Abby Johnson: Ron DeSantis is proving just how ready he is to be President of the United States.

Kristen Tate: DeSantis showed he's a fighter last night.

Ainsely Earhardt: I was watching with some friends that are visiting...and one is from Florida. When DeSantis said Disney was open during COVID, you had Disney closed for a year, Newsom, in your state. Your kids were in private schools. You were owned by the unions. You're the first governor to lose population. You ran out of U-Hauls. You went to French Laundry. And then Gavin said, 'Well, you closed beaches,' and she said 'That's not true. We were at the beach down in Florida during COVID. I was so grateful that Disney was open because I was able to take my kids.'"

Stephen L. Miller: Endorsements from Jennifer Rubin & Gavin Newsom on the same day probably not ideal for Nikki Haley .

Lydia Hall: Newsom propping up Nikki Haley should be a red flag for every Republican.