Gavin Newsom and Ron DeSantis set up Hannity debate, what to know about the participants

Fox News opinion host Sean Hannity is set to moderate a debate between California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) later this year.

Fox News framed the event as a debate between red states and blue states in a Monday press release.

Hannity, who advised former President Donald Trump before, during and after the January 6 insurrection and attempt to overturn the 2020 election, sat down with Newsom in June where the idea was first floated.

DeSantis agreed to the event in July.

Here's what to know about the upcoming debate between Gavin Newsom and Ron DeSantis.

Rivals spar: Governors Ron DeSantis and Gavin Newsom set date for Fox News debate

When will Gavin Newsom and Ron DeSantis debate take place?

The debate will take place on November 30 during the Hannity program at 9 p.m. ET on Fox News.

What to know about Gavin Newsom:

Newsom is the 40th governor of California, having been elected to the position in 2018. Newsom was re-elected to the position in 2022.

Prior to taking the governor's mansion in Sacramento, Newsom served as lieutenant governor under Jerry Brown and prior to that as mayor of San Fransisco.

Newsom has been a frequent target of conservative criticism and survived a 2021 recall effort spurred by his flaunting of COVID restrictions by attending a gathering at the French Laundry restaurant in Napa, California in 2020.

The Newsom administration's priorities are, "(the) state’s affordability crisis, creating inclusive economic growth and opportunity for every child, and standing up for California values," according to the governor's official website.

What to know about Ron DeSantis:

Ron DeSantis is the 46th governor of Florida having been elected to the position in 2018. DeSantis is running for the Republican presidential nomination and currently trails Trump in most polls. An August poll of likely caucus goers in Iowa ran in part by the Des Moines Register, a part of the USA Today Network, saw 42% of respondents say that Trump was their first choice for the nomination as compared to 19% for DeSantis.

Prior to taking the reins in Tallahassee, DeSantis served as a member of the House of Representatives from Florida's 6th Congressional District, on the state's eastern coast, south of Jacksonville. He was a member of the right-wing Freedom Caucus in the lower chamber.

DeSantis has frequently made California a target of his governmental agenda and campaign rhetoric, releasing a video criticizing the California governor after the idea of the debate came to light saying, "We have witnessed a great American exodus from states governed by leftist politicians."

DeSantis has also taken aim at the Los Angeles area-based Walt Disney Company whose then then-CEO Bob Chapek publicly denounced DeSantis's Parental Rights in Education Act, which opponents called the "Don't Say Gay" bill, at a company shareholders meeting. DeSantis then signed a bill that ended the special tax district for the company's Orlando Walt Disney World theme park. In a lawsuit Disney called the bill, "patently retaliatory, patently anti-business, and patently unconstitutional." The Disney World theme park has seen Neo-Nazi demonstrations supporting DeSantis outside its gates.

DeSantis' claimed achievements in office include, "saving livelihoods from job-killing lockdowns and vaccine mandates," "banning sanctuary cities," "waging war on woke power-grabs," and "protecting the unborn," according to his campaign website.

What to know about Sean Hannity:

Sean Hannity is a Fox News opinion host of the Hannity program that airs at 9 p.m. ET and has been on the air since 2009.

A hardline conservative, Hannity's program has served as a friendly venue for the GOP and Trump.

In 2019 Hannity told his audience, "I don’t claim to be a journalist."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ron DeSantis, Gavin Newsom agree to debate on Hannity: What to know: