California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) said he believes Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) saved his political future by withdrawing from the Republican presidential primary.
“So if he kept going, […] He’s going to be crushed in his own state,” Newsom said, adding that Republican challenger Nikki Haley now faces similar challenges in her home state of South Carolina.
After a disappointing campaign, DeSantis withdrew from the race on Sunday and endorsed former President Trump. Mr. DeSantis, once seen as the most likely candidate to replace the former president, has lost support with voters and said it is clear voters want to give Mr. Trump another chance at the White House.
Newsom and DeSantis went head-to-head in a Fox News debate in late November. They clashed over their records and policies, including their response to the coronavirus pandemic, crime and abortion.
Newsom said in an interview with MSNBC's Alex Wagner on Thursday that DeSantis did not do well in the polls during a debate in his home state of Florida.
“On a human level, after spending just a little bit of time with him and obviously studying him for a while, he became a different person,” Newsom said. “I just saw a video of him with a kid and I was like, 'Who is that?'
Newsom, seen as a future Democratic White House contender, said DeSantis appeared to have been “rolled up” on the campaign trail. The California governor said he didn't think DeSantis had a “reason” for campaigning.
Newsom went on to say he doesn't think Haley has a chance of winning in any state if Trump is her challenger. She has vowed to remain in the race despite finishing second in Tuesday's New Hampshire primary as the only remaining candidate to challenge her former president.
National polls show Trump leading Haley by 56.8 percentage points, according to The Hill/Decision Desk headquarters.
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