California Gov. Gavin Newsom Has July 4 Attack Ad Fireworks For Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis

Continuing the war of words between Florida and California – and potentially previewing the presidential campaign for 2024 – California Governor Gavin Newsom has issued a new ad attacking Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Newsom’s July 4 weekend ad claims “Freedom is under attack” in states run by Republican governors, like Florida. It goes on to demonize several decisions led by the conservative DeSantis.

“Your Republican leaders, they’re banning books,” Newsom says in voiceover of images of DeSantis. Republican governors are “making it harder to vote, restricting speech in classrooms, even criminalizing women and doctors,” Newsom’s ad claims.

The ad is something of a rebuttal to DeSantis’s April put-down of San Francisco, wherein he claimed the Bay city was “a dumpster fire” while voicing concerns that its people would relocate to Florida to escape. DeSantis said if they did, they would likely bring the same voting habits that allegedly ruined California to his state.

Newsom called on Floridians to “join the fight” against DeSantis. He added that disgruntled citizens in the Sunshine State are welcome to move to California, “where we still believe in freedom. Freedom of speech, freedom to choose, freedom from hate and the freedom to love. Don’t let them take your freedom.”