Does Gavin Newsom's latest decision hint towards a 2024 presidential run?
'The Five' panelists discuss the implications of California Governor Gavin Newsom rejecting legal drug injection sites.
Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom fired shots at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis revealing he will give $100,000 to the Republican governor's midterm opponent in an effort to flip the red seat blue in the November election.
In a tweet posted by Newsom Thursday, the governor pledged the large donation to Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Fla., who recently won the Florida gubernatorial Democratic primary and advanced to the midterms where he will face DeSantis.
Newsom, who is also running for re-election this fall, made his objective with the donation clear. "Time to make Ron DeSantis a one-term governor," Newsom said.
GAVIN NEWSOM'S CAMPAIGN BUYS ADS IN FLORIDA EVEN THOUGH HE'S RUNNING IN CALIFORNIA
Newsom explained the reasoning for his donation during a press conference Thursday in downtown Los Angeles.
"I like Charlie Crist and I don't like bullies. We want to ask what my way is in life. And I don't like bullies," Newsom said. "I don't like people that demean people. I don't like people that talk down to people. I didn't like what DeSantis said about Fauci the other day."
"I'm standing up as a human being to use those dollars. I hope others send money, to send a message that if that's the future of the damn Republican Party, this country is in real trouble," he said.
Despite living 2,700 miles apart, DeSantis and Newsom have been firing shots at one another for months after the California governor began running ads for his campaign in the Sunshine State.
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The unexpected move gained major media attention and sparked rumors that Newsom is gearing up for a possible 2024 presidential bid.
DeSantis has appeared unfazed by the recent campaign attempts by Newsom, but clapped back in a speech at Cape Coral High School in July. "When families are uprooting from the Pacific Coast to go almost 3,000 miles in search of a better life, that's telling you something," DeSantis said.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has been running ads in Florida for months. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
"Yes, we've created a citadel of freedom here that has attracted people, and we're proud of it. But, let's just be clear, California is driving people away with their terrible governance," DeSantis added.
Karl Rove recently joined "America's Newsroom" to discuss Newsom's ad buys across the country saying, "I think it is totally brilliant on the part of Gov. Newsom. Think about this: He has raised $23 million for his re-election campaign. He spent $100,000 on ads in Florida. We've just now had more viewers see the ad on this news program than will see the ad in Florida."
Rove noted that Newsom's moves have given him a national profile. "He has got himself a great stunt to attract the attention of Democrats and position himself for 2024," he said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is a political favorite among Republican voters and a top contender for the GOP nomination in 2024. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Recent polls have suggested that DeSantis is a top contender for the Republican nomination in the next presidential election, making him former President Trump's biggest competition in 2024 should the two decide to run.
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A recent Berkeley IGS Polls survey found that the majority of Californian voters would like to see Newsom as the Democratic nominee in 2024, if President Biden decides not to seek re-election.
Fox News' Julia Musto contributed to this report.
