MIAMI.- Florida Governor Ron DeSantischallenged former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley to a one-on-one debate, after both were involved in a tense exchange in the fourth Republican debate held in Alabama.
DeSantis, who is second in the polls behind former President Donald Trump, although other polls show him third behind Haleyaccused her rival in the Republican primary of “caving in” to the left, and even that she had favored the Chinese Communist Party when she served as governor of South Carolina.
Haley, for her part, defended her diplomatic experience and responded to DeSantis that this “keep lying about my history”. He also questioned a governor’s bill that, if approved, would have allowed some restrictions on content on online sites that address political issues.
Hours after the meeting in Alabama, DeSantis said in an interview with a conservative media that if the qualification requirements for an eventual next Republican debate become stricter, a face-to-face confrontation with the former ambassador would be likely.
What DeSantis says
“Hopefully, the thresholds for classification will increase. And this may end up being just a one-on-one debate” in Iowa or New Hampshire, the governor said in a talk with journalist Hugh Hewitt.
Haley, who has tried to maintain a more moderate and pragmatic positionhas not openly stated whether he would accept a one-on-one confrontation with DeSantis, who since the last debate showed a stronger attitude towards the former governor.
In a recent Washington Post-Monmouth University poll, Haley led DeSantis in the key state of New Hampshire, emerging as Trump’s main challenger. The poll shows her with 18% over DeSantis, who obtained 7%, while Trump appears with 46%.
In other states like South Carolina, Haley also appears ahead of DeSantis.
Future debates
Meanwhile, the future of the Republican debates is uncertain. However, CNN announced that it will hold contests in Iowa on January 10 and New Hampshire on January 21, both with higher qualification barriers, if the candidates decide to participate.
Trump, who has been reluctant to participate in these debates Basing his position on the numbers that favor him in the polls, he has not stated whether he intends to appear in the meetings that may possibly take place in 2024.
Trump has attacked his rivals, whom he has described as “weak” and “disloyal”, and has assured that he is the only one who can defeat President Joe Biden in 2024.
