In a recent interview with Fox 11 anchor Elex Michaelson, California Gov. Gavin Newsom grimaced when Michaelson asked him if he had ever met Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — a fellow star on the national political scene, and someone Newsom has repeatedly traded jabs with from afar.

When Michaelson asked Newsom what he would say to DeSantis should the two ever meet face-to-face, Newsom replied with a tone of indignation he often uses when discussing Republican politicians such as DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

“Stop being a bully,” Newsom said he would tell DeSantis. “Stop belittling people that look differently, act differently, love differently. Who the hell are you? Stop! Stop threatening people. Stop being so coercive.”

Newsom’s comments to Michaelson seem related to several Florida laws Newsom has frequently criticized DeSantis for. The most common target of Newsom’s ire is the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which prohibits classroom instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade in the Florida’s public schools.

Newsom’s interview with Michaelson came just 10 days after his re-election campaign began running 30-second cable ads on Fox News in Florida. In those ads, Newsom takes aim at DeSantis for several policies he’s championed — including the “Don’t Say Gay” bill — and encourages Florida residents who are dissatisfied with the state’s direction to move to California, where, according to Newsom, “we still believe in freedom.”

A spokesperson for DeSantis did not respond to a request for comment on Newsom’s interview with Michaelson.

Apart from DeSantis, Newsom also brought up his other favorite Republican target — Abbott — during Thursday’s interview. He criticized the Texas governor for his recently announced decision to — at least try — to eliminate access to free public school for undocumented immigrants in his state. Newsom likened it to California’s now-infamous Proposition 187, a ballot initiative state voters passed in 1994 which, before being struck down by a federal district court, prohibited undocumented immigrants from using non-emergency health care, public education and other state services.

“Look what Abbott is doing. Abbott is talking about eliminating a fundamental right for people, regardless of their immigration status, to get an education,” Newsom said. “This is a real moment for diverse communities, and it’s not just [DeSantis] (Newsom referred to him as ‘DeSantos’ here, which he’s done before) it’s Abbott, it’s Kentucky, it’s South Dakota, you go down the list [and] with these red states there’s a ruthlessness.”

The above comes from a July 16 story in SFGate.