California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) took a swipe at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) standing in the GOP presidential primary during a debate between the two governors Thursday on Fox News.
“This is just a reminder. … It’s a question some people are probably asking — I know Nikki Haley’s campaign is asking — when are you going to drop out and at least give Nikki Haley a shot to take down Donald Trump in this nomination?” Newsom asked. “She laid you out.”
“You wish,” DeSantis shot back.
The exchange came during a question posed by the debate’s moderator, Fox News host Sean Hannity, about how the two men would counter China’s aggression.
Newsom was referring to comments Haley made about DeSantis during the third GOP primary debate in Miami earlier this month.
During that event, Haley, who has been steadily gaining on DeSantis in many early-state polls following her strong debate performances, accused her opponent of seeking to strengthen business ties with China.
“Ron, you are the chair of your economic development agency that as of last week said Florida is the ideal place for Chinese businesses,” Haley said. “Not only that, you have a company that is a manufacturer of Chinese military planes. You have it.”
DeSantis had earlier hit Haley about her relations with Beijing during her tenure as South Carolina governor.
On Thursday, Newsom called DeSantis a “walking hypocrite” on China.
The Florida governor brushed off Newsom’s remarks, saying the allegations had been “debunked.”
Both men sought to stake out a strong position against China during the Fox News debate, a unique event that saw a presidential contender squaring off against a non-presidential candidate in prime time.
Newsom argued he stood up to China President Xi Jinping on the issue of fentanyl, while DeSantis was quick to label China the U.S.’s No. 1 geopolitical foe.
The debate comes just days ahead of the fourth GOP presidential primary debate in Alabama, when DeSantis will go head-to-head with Haley again as he fails to gain traction in his effort to topple former President Trump for the party’s nomination.