DeSantis doesn't respond to Crist questions about whether he'll serve full second term if reelected

Florida incumbent GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis would not say in a debate Monday night whether he'd serve out a full second term if reelected, despite being challenged several time on stage by his Democrat rival on the issue, adding to speculation DeSantis plans to run for president in 2024.

His rival, Charlie Crist, a former congressman and one-term Florida governor, accused DeSantis of being too distracted by national political ambitions to adequately lead the state, according to the Associated Press.

DeSantis sidestepped several attempts by Crist to get him to say he’d serve a full second term.

The governor, considered a rising GOP star, at one point replied: "I know that Charlie is interested in talking about 2024 and [President] Joe Biden. But I just want to make things very, very clear: The only worn-out old donkey I’m looking to put out to pasture is Charlie Crist."

Crist responded: "You won’t even say if you want to be the governor of Florida after this election."

The 44-year-old DeSantis has a double-digit lead over the 66-year-old Crist, according to most polls.