As I write this, the debate between Gavin Newsom and Ron DeSantis is entering the final stretch, but short of a miracle turnaround, a winner has already emerged. DeSantis has hammered Newsom with facts throughout the night, and to Sean Hannity's credit, he's put up graphics with each question that have helped expose the California governor's continued lies. 

Once things end, there will be a lot to cover (and a heck of a lot to fact-check on Newsom's part), but one moment was just too good to not go ahead and share. In it, DeSantis began to recollect a conversation he had with a man who had recently fled Florida from California, noting that his new state was safer, had lower taxes, and was better governed. 

Wait until you see who that man was.

I was talking to a fella who had made the move from California to Florida. He was telling me that Florida’s much better governed, safer, better budget, lower taxes.

Then he paused and said ‘by the way, I’m Gavin Newsom’s father-in-law.’ pic.twitter.com/OSsYCRTJYo

— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) December 1, 2023

Holy crap. They could have just cut to black at that point and played a Hannity re-run because DeSantis effectively ended Newsom. It's one thing to nail someone with facts and figures, and that was certainly done. But it's a whole different level to have Newsom's father-in-law used as a source for how much better Florida is than California. I'm pretty sure Christmas dinner is going to be awkward this year. 

That's not to say Newsom didn't desperately try to showcase his patented slickness in the debate. Throughout the night, he did his best to use his slimy demeanor to effortlessly spew falsehoods. DeSantis was ready to nail him in nearly every instance, though. The idea that the Florida governor isn't a good debater has been completely dispelled. Perhaps Newsom was too overconfident, believing he could just walk in and dominate, or perhaps being prepped by Nikki Fried (yes, that happened) wasn't the best decision. 

Whatever the reason for the lackluster performance, Newsom was on his back foot most of the evening. I suppose not having any facts on his side played a role in that. A politician can only lie so much. At some point, they need something tangible, and what's tangible in California is Newsom's awful governance. He can't hide from it.