Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis highlighted the substantial population outflow from California, putting Governor Gavin Newsom in an awkward position during a national television debate.
In a Fox News debate held in Georgia on Thursday night, DeSantis mocked Newsom’s policies, which have been a driving force behind the migration of residents from California.
When questioned by Fox News host Sean Hannity about the reasons for the significant exodus from California, Newsom failed to provide a clear explanation. Rather than addressing the issue, Newsom opted to criticize DeSantis.
DeSantis, in response, seized the opportunity to criticize Newsom over the issue.
“California has more natural advantages than any state in the country,” DeSantis said.
“You almost have to try to mess California up.
“And yet, that’s what Gavin Newsom has done since he’s been governor.
“He’s the first governor to ever lose population.
“They actually at one point, ran out of U-Hauls in the state of California because so many people were leaving.”
DeSantis highlighted that Newsom’s stringent COVID-19 measures, such as keeping children out of public schools while his own attended private school, had contributed to motivating residents to leave the state.
“He’s very good at spinning these tails,” DeSantis continued.
“He’s good at being slick and slippery.
“He’ll tell a blizzard of lies to be able to try to mask the failures.
“But the reality is they have failed because of his leftist ideology.
“And the choice for America is this: What Biden and Harris and Newsom want to do is take the California model and do that nationally.
“In Florida, we show that conservative principles work.
“This country must choose freedom over failure.”
