Last night, Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, and California Governor, Gavin Newsom, went head-to-head during a Fox News debate to present and defend their visions for the future of America. With under a year to go until the 2024 Presidential Election, one of these leaders is a current candidate. The other? To be determined. Regardless of what names end up on your ballot come Election Day, rest assured that the choice you will have to make is solely between these two visions. You will decide which direction this country goes.
Out the gate, Newsom was asked about the negative net migration California has experienced in recent years. Where his state has lost approximately 750,000 residents, Florida gained over 400,000. Newsom initially dodged the question and oddly answered by pledging his ongoing support for the work of the Biden/Harris Administration. When pressed for an answer a second time, he ducked again, this time attempting to highlight California’s technological and business success in places like Silicon Valley. The facts simply don’t lie though. During covid, while lockdown leaders like Newsom shut down businesses, ruined livelihoods, and ruined a generation of children by keeping schools shut down, Florida was open for business and got students back in school before any other state.
On border security, data was presented showing that Border Patrol has had 6.5 million migrant encounters since Biden took office including over 6,000 Afghans, 12,000 Russians, and 26,000 Chinese. There is serious concern that foreign actors could be taking advantage of our open southern border to infiltrate our country and carry out terrorist attacks in our cities and towns.
Newsom used his time on this topic to call out DeSantis for sending 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard in September 2022. He said it was heartless and disqualifying. DeSantis countered with the fact that all these liberal sanctuary cities and states claim they are open to illegal migrants, yet they are now panicking for having to take a very small percentage of the migrants crossing our border. The Biden/Harris/Newsom team has turned their back on law-abiding Americans. They have put our communities and families at risk. Their open border policies are a slap-in-the-face to all those who proudly came to this country – legally.
When it comes to crime and homelessness, FBI statistics show that the violent crime rate in California is at 499 per 100,000 compared to the national average of 380. In Florida, the rate is below the national average at just 258. The homeless numbers tell a similar story. California has 172,000 homeless people to Florida’s 26,000.
Simply put, California has adopted pro-crime policies and has turned their back on the men and women of law enforcement while Florida continues to Back The Blue. Under Newsom, California has made it harder to do business. They are overtaxed and overregulated while Florida encourages growth and prosperity. California has allowed the quality of life to deteriorate beyond control while Florida holds criminals accountable and ensures that prosecutors who are soft on crime are removed from office.
As they progressed through the issues, the responses remained the same. On gun control, California leads America with the strictest gun laws where Florida believes in upholding the rights of law-abiding Americans to protect themselves and their families.
On the topic of parents’ rights and protecting children, DeSantis proudly stood by his record of keeping pornographic materials out of our schools. Newsom failed to answer when asked if he thinks such books are appropriate for young children.
Even on gas prices, despite positioning himself as a fighter for the working class, Newsom couldn’t answer why gasoline costs $7/gallon in California. He refused to admit it is because of their over-taxation and out-of-control regulation. He refused to admit it is because they are pushing a climate agenda and a move towards all electric vehicles in the near future – taking away even more rights and choices from individual Americans.
The differences couldn’t be clearer. There are two visions of America. Freedom or failure. Choose wisely in 2024.
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