Governor Gavin Newsom and his political rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, will face off on stage tonight. The Fox News debate is billed as a red state-blue state matchup. But there's more at stake for the governors than their states' reputations, as CapRadio politics reporter Nicole Nixon explains.
Both governors have something to gain by doing the debate, like air time and fundraising boosts.
That's particularly true for DeSantis, who's struggling in his bid for next year's Republican presidential nomination.
Newsom says he won't run in 2024, but he's become a top attack dog for President Joe Biden and other Democrats.
Sherry Jeffe is a longtime political analyst in Southern California.
Jeffe: "I think they're both looking at it as a no-lose situation, and I think they could both be wrong about that."
That's because both candidates want a political future beyond 2024. And Jeffe says it could hurt their credibility if the debate becomes a shouting match.
