Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his team responded to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s ongoing criticisms of Florida by highlighting California’s population loss. After Newsom challenged DeSantis to a debate, DeSantis urged him to stop hesitating and instead jump into the presidential race.
DeSantis pointed out the significant problems in California, such as those seen in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and the growing number of people leaving the state since Newsom took office. Despite California traditionally attracting people due to its appeal, DeSantis emphasized that the current governor has overseen a massive exodus from the state. DeSantis suggested that people are not moving from Southern California to places like Jacksonville solely because of the weather but rather due to the mismanagement and poor governance in California.
In response, the DeSantis War Room released an ad featuring news clips highlighting California’s problems, including population loss, homelessness, and rising crime. The ad also showcased positive developments in Florida, such as a significant decrease in crime rates and unemployment figures, along with Florida being the fastest-growing state in the nation. DeSantis attributed these positive outcomes to better governance in states like Florida and criticized the poor governance in left-wing states.
DeSantis expressed bewilderment at Newsom’s intense focus on Florida despite the problems in California. He urged Newsom to stop hesitating and either challenge President Joe Biden or refrain from criticizing from the sidelines.
Recent data reveals that California lost approximately half a million residents between April 2020 and July 2022.