Red vs Blue State Debate highlights: Top 5 moments from the DeSantis, Newsom slugfest

Thomas Catenacci / Fox News

The Fox News debate between Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had several tense moments as the two governors clashed over policies related to abortion, crime, taxes and COVID-19.

The first-of-its-kind showdown hosted by Fox News' Sean Hannity put a spotlight on various areas of disagreement between Newsom and DeSantis. The two governors have sought to tackle key issues facing their states with divergent approaches.

Here are five of the most memorable moments from the debate.

1. DeSantis confronts Newsom with sexually-explicit children's book

During an exchange about Florida's laws prohibiting certain sexually-explicit books in schools, DeSantis defended his actions by showing Newsom images of one of the books banned. Read more here.