I’m not sure there’s a worse governor in the country than Gov. Gavin Newsom of California. Given that several of our editors and contributors reside in his state and are fighting the good fight, RedState has always been on the cutting edge of news from the state.

For his part, Newsom has been doing his level best to make sure he remains in the spotlight. With so much going wrong under his tenure, that’s meant lashing out at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Newsom has previously accused DeSantis of being a “bully” for disallowing teachers to talk about sex with kindergarteners. He also ran an ad campaign in Florida touting ultra-regulated California as the real place of “freedom.”

(related DeSantis Lands a Solid Jabs on Biden, ‘Hair Gel’ Newsom Over Migrant Bussing ‘Investigation’)

It’s been a joke, and Newsom continued delivering one-liners on Friday when he challenged DeSantis to a debate regarding the Florida governor’s recent move to send illegal aliens to Martha’s Vineyard.

Hey @GovRonDeSantis, clearly you're struggling, distracted, and busy playing politics with people’s lives. Since you have only one overriding need — attention –let's take this up & debate. I’ll bring my hair gel. You bring your hairspray. Name the time before Election Day. @CNN https://t.co/vTJHQxfArW

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) September 16, 2022

There are so many things about Newsom’s demand that are incredible that it’s hard to know where to start.

First, can we talk about the fact that Newsom is challenging a governor 2000+ miles away to a debate when “hair gel” himself had to be shamed by the press to finally agree to a debate in his current gubernatorial race? Maybe guys who are terrified to answer questions in their own backyard shouldn’t be demanding things of people a five-hour plane ride away. Just a thought.

Then there’s the fact that he’s quoting Dan Rather and suggesting the debate take place on CNN. Does that sound like a neutral venue to you? As I’ve said many times, any Republican who chooses to go on that network deserves what they get. DeSantis is way too smart to fall into that trap. Would Newsom appear at a debate hosted by Fox News? There’s zero chance of that, and it makes him look silly when he tries to act all tough by demanding a debate on…CNN. If you’re gonna pretend to be a player, don’t ask DeSantis to meet you on your home turf.

Lastly, there’s the fact that Newsom just looks pathetic continuing to go after DeSantis when the Florida governor is so busy winning on the issues. Newsom is the little dog nipping at the big dog’s heels, and that comes across clearly.

Here’s the thing to know. Newsom is desperate. He’s desperate to turn the topic away from his myriad of failures in his state, and he’s desperate for attention in order to turn himself into a viable 2024 candidate. Meanwhile, DeSantis is cool and collected, constantly setting the pace and the narrative. If you’re reacting, you’re losing, and Newsom is constantly reacting.

DeSantis should laugh at this stupid ploy and keep doing what he’s doing. Newsom may want the cameras, but DeSantis wants the wins, and he’s way too busy delivering them to waste time on a clownish governor from California with delusions of grandeur.