California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is airing a new ad in Florida targeting Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and GOP lawmakers over a wave of new legislation targeting LGBTQ rights, voting rights, the so-called “critical race theory ” and abortions.
In a 30-second ad that will begin airing on Fox News on Monday, Newsom, who is running for re-election, is inviting fed-up Floridians to move to California, which he says still believes in protecting personal freedom.
“It’s Independence Day. Let’s talk about what’s going on in America.” Freedom. In your state, your Republican leaders are under attack, they’re banning books, making it harder to vote, restricting speech in classrooms, even criminalizing women and doctors,” Newsom said.
The ad shows DeSantis shaking hands with former President Trump with the words “Freedom is under attack”
“I urge all of you who live in Florida to join the fight or join us in California where we still believe in freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of choice, freedom from hate and freedom to love,” Newsom added . “Don’t let them take your freedom away.”
Both DeSantis and Newsom are considered potential presidential candidates for their parties, having developed national profiles through their leadership of two of the nation’s largest states. Polls show DeSantis trails only Trump as the presidential choice among GOP voters, while Newsom said he has “below zero” interest in seeking the White House.
DeSantis and his state party sparked national controversy by passing the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, barring teachers through 4th grade from teaching in the classroom about sexual orientation and gender identity.
He was also among a number of GOP governors who curbed voting rights amid Trump’s false claims of a rigged election in 2020 and moved to severely restrict abortion even before the Supreme Court’s decision last week to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Newsom has previously boasted that California’s economy is stronger than Florida’s and has shown an appetite for engaging Republicans across the country.
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The 54-year-old governor joined Trump’s social media platform last month in what he said was an effort to debunk “Republican lies.”
“This could get … interesting,” Newsom wrote in a post on Twitter.
The Hill has reached out to DeSantis’ office for comment.
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