DeSantis, Crist Hold Debate in Florida Governor's Race

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and challenger Charlie Crist (D) held their lone debate Monday night in Florida's 2022 gubernatorial race, and gave their views on abortion, immigration, transgender issues, and more, while also trading criticisms.

Key Quotes: On abortion, DeSantis said he would "like to see everybody have a shot." Crist said he wants to "keep a woman’s right to choose available to the women of the state of Florida." When asked about gender transition procedures for minors, DeSantis said it's "inappropriate to be doing basically what's genital mutilation." In response, Crist said "it's just wrong" to "want to decide about what people should do with their own physical being." Crist asked DeSantis if he would promise voters to "serve a full four-year term as governor," in reference to a potential 2024 presidential run. In response, DeSantis said "I know that Charlie is interested in talking about 2024 and Joe Biden, but I just want to make things very, very clear: The only worn out, old donkey I'm looking to put out to pasture is Charlie Crist."

Where People Agreed: DeSantis and Crist agreed that the recently-sentenced Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter should have received the death penalty instead of life in prison. 

Where People Disagreed: Left-rated sources focused more on Crist pressing DeSantis on immigration and 2024; right-rated sources focused more on DeSantis's criticisms of Crist regarding his stance on abortion and transgender issues.