How to watch the DeSantis-Newsom debate

Fox News will host a 90-minute debate between Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida and Governor Gavin Newsom of California on Thursday at 9 p.m. Eastern Time.

The unusual event, between a Republican presidential candidate and a high-profile Democratic governor who has been a surrogate for the Biden administration, will be moderated by Sean Hannity, the conservative prime-time host and a close Trump ally. Here are the ways you can watch:

• Fox News Channel will air the event starting at 9 p.m. as part of a two-hour broadcast of Mr. Hannity.

• Fox News Radio will simulcast the debate.

The matchup

Mr. DeSantis faces an intensifying race as he pushes for a strong performance in the first Iowa caucuses in January. More than six months after joining the campaign as former President Donald J. Trump’s most prominent rival, Mr. DeSantis has lost support in recent polls. New upheavals within his campaign will only increase the pressure for a strong performance by Mr. DeSantis before a national prime-time audience.

He faces Mr. Newsom, who has been a key ally of President Biden and a leading voice of the national Democratic Party. Mr. Newsom has amassed the kind of national support and connections to donors that would put him in a strong position for a future presidential candidate. Going into 2024, Mr. Newsom has firmly backed Mr. Biden and given assurances that he will not threaten the president’s re-election campaign.

Why are they debating?

Presidential candidates generally do not debate people who are not themselves running for president. Mr. Newsom did Mr. DeSantis challenged to a debate from more than a year ago, when the governor of Florida had not yet officially started his campaign, but had been preparing for the presidency for some time. Mr. Newsom’s participation is likely to further fuel speculation that he has his eye on the White House.

But the unusual spectacle reflects the current state of affairs in the presidential campaign: Mr. DeSantis is slowly losing momentum and needs a jolt. Mr. Newsom was also eager to further increase his national profile, and Mr. Biden needs powerful surrogates who can help make the case for a second term.

What issues will the two governors discuss?

Mr. Hannity’s debate questions will be framed around the two governors’ “very different approaches” to governing their states, Fox News said, as well as how they would tackle major national issues. These issues include the economy, the border, immigration, crime and inflation.

The two governors have been feuding for more than a year over some of the most contentious issues in politics, especially immigration, with each trying to portray his state as a role model for his party’s policies and governance. Thursday’s debate is likely to feature similar contrasts.