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Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has bought cable ads in Florida. Whatever the reason is, perhaps he should focus on fixing his state before trying to lecture other states on their policies and politicians.
What the ads will be about isn’t clear, with a spokesman for Newsom’s campaign urging people to “stay tuned,” but there are two possible options. The first is that Newsom is setting the stage for a 2024 presidential run, though starting a campaign by trying to win over a state that has shifted out of the swing state category would make his campaign as incompetent as his government. The other possibility is jealousy, as Newsom has been upset at the favorable coverage of Florida while California’s homelessness, poverty, and crime dominate the headlines.
It’s most likely that both factors are at play, but the issue is the same. California has the worst homelessness crisis in the nation. California has the highest poverty rate in the nation when adjusted for cost of living. The state is pricing out its middle class, having seen a population decline for two consecutive years. California was the fourth-highest state for outbound migration in 2021, behind only New York, Illinois, and Hawaii.
By comparison, Florida has flourished under Republican governance. The state was in the top 10 for inbound migration in 2021. While California lost a House seat after the 2020 census, the first time that has happened in the state’s history, Florida gained one seat and should have gained another if not for its population being undercounted. Florida Republicans have been so successful that Democrats are not even entertaining the possibility that they can defeat GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis just four years after he and Sen. Rick Scott narrowly defeated their Democratic challengers.
What California successes Newsom would brag about in Florida is unclear. Newsom likes to boast about California’s economy, which rings hollow when the state tops the list for poverty and homelessness. Newsom could boast about COVID, but people moving to Florida are doing so in part because DeSantis didn’t rule over their lives with an iron fist during the pandemic. Newsom did exactly that, all while ignoring his own restrictions and wreaking havoc on the lives of students and families.
Establishment media will prop up Newsom if (and when) he does decide to run for president. They will happily repeat his attacks on DeSantis and Florida, even if the latter is clearly on the upswing while California’s class divide widens. But to Floridians and anyone else paying attention, Newsom’s boasts and attacks will fall flat. Newsom is the face of failed liberal governance, and California is going down with him.
