I’m not clear where those COVID states came from.
Heres the CDC stats on COVID deaths per 100K
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/covid19_mortality_final/COVID19.htm
CA is well ahead of FL, 99.9 to 111.7.
Edit: did they have a newer year than what I linked to?
You're correct that FL has significantly higher rates relative to its population however CA has more overall deaths. CA has roughly 25% more deaths despite being more than 100% higher in total population. But as politics go these were not the biggest exaggerations or lies. Both are technically right in some way.
In general I thought both did a decent job in the part that I watched towards the end.
I hate Newsom's smug/smirk that he does when the other person speaks. It makes him look like a giant dbag.
DeSantis needs to drop his 'stop bulling me' nonsense. It makes him look weak and pathetic. If he thought Newsom was bullying him, Trump will tear him a new asshole and tell him his wife and kids look like street dogs instead of the nice concluding remarks about being a good family man. Desantis looked decent overall however he needed to look at Newsom more.
I also wouldn't focus on crime because Florida has higher per capita crimes. No surprise given the 'Florida Man' stories and jokes. Yes SF/CA have not done a good job with crime but FL is not a great example either.
I hate Newsom for doing nothing as SF mayor except doing the at the time illegal gay marriage ceremonies which was largely virtue signaling and not helpful to the average San Franciscan, gay or straight. As governor he completely disregards 2nd amendment rights. I generally dislike him for being a slick/smug hypocritical asshole.
Newsom had the best zingers and looked like Reagan demolishing his opponent. The "neither one of us will be a party nominee in 2024" was a Desantis kneecapper.
Newsom came in as a Democratic surrogate and did a solid job talking up Biden's Chips act and Desantis accepting millions of dollars from that act. Newsom also did a good job pointing out Desantis is a hypocrite in that he backs clean energy with policies while at the same time pandering to the anti climate change crowd. Newsom also brought up the unpopular Desantis abortion bill.
Honestly it felt like both Biden and Haley paid Newsom to mention them and talk down to Desantis.
I thought Hannity was mostly fair and allowed both of them to speak, sometimes over each other which was annoying and grating. In my time, it was mostly Newsom talking over Desantis though I am sure they both did it at various points.