Fierce DeSantis-Newsom rivalry heads to prime-time showdown with 'Hannity' debate

They're two relatively young and very high-profile governors of large states who have a knack for grabbing national attention and firing up the bases of their respective political parties.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, who have been trading fire for nearly two years, will tangle once again this week — but this time their slugfest will be in person.

DeSantis, who is running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, and Newsom — who Republican critics charge is running a shadow campaign for the White House even though he repeatedly stomps on such speculation as "ridiculous" — will face off Thursday in a debate moderated by Fox News' prime-time opinion host Sean Hannity.

The showdown, titled "DeSantis vs. Newsom: The Great Red vs. Blue State Debate," will take in Alpharetta, Georgia — a one-time red state that's become a top general election battleground between the two major political parties.