Last week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis launched a well-rehearsed attack on California, branding it as being too leftist, too awake, and too pricey. He asserted that Californians and citizens of other liberal states were migrating in large numbers to Florida as evidence.
According to the most recent data from the California Finance Department for 2022, out of a total population of 39 million, the state’s population decreased by around 211,000 from 2021. This was partially due to the fact that net domestic migration decreased while foreign immigration into California stayed at relatively low levels.
The out-migration to other states is still a minor portion of the total population. The most currently available statistics from the Federal Revenue Service show that inflows from California to Florida increased by 22% in 2020 after remaining largely constant annually in the preceding ten years.
Other sources’ data demonstrates that since the pandemic, the number of Californians moving to Florida and some other places has increased dramatically. As a comparison to the average of the previous five years, the number of California driver’s licenses transferred to Florida increased by more than 50% in 2021 and 2022.
However, keep in mind that the actual number of people involved is negligible when compared to the total population of California. Per the changes in driver’s licenses, there were 29,000 people who moved from California to Florida altogether. The number may be a few thousand more, according to IRS figures.
People who relocate from one state to another tend to be younger: in their 20s and 30s. This is true across the nation, not just in California or Florida.
That trend is not true for Florida, at least not in terms of California. According to Census Bureau data examined by demographer William Frey of the Brookings Institution, about one-third of Californians who relocated to Florida were 50 years of age or older, as opposed to roughly 20% of those who relocated to all other states.
In that aspect, older Californians are simply following a well-worn path: Florida has long been a popular destination for senior citizens due to its low sales tax, lack of a state personal income tax, affordable housing, and overall reduced cost of living. Those on fixed incomes have always found it appealing because pensions and savings are more generous there.
READ ALSO: What CPAC ‘Woke’ Means? Here’s Some Shocking Response!
Ron DeSantis Slams California’s ‘Woke’ Policies
As part of a nationwide roadshow as he prepares for an anticipated White House run, Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, extended his fight against liberalism well into the Democratic zone of California on Sunday.
DeSantis has lately been engaging with affluent fundraisers and honing his national credentials in a series of remarks talking about his achievements in Florida while blasting the woke worldview of politicians in Democratic strongholds such as California and New York.
DeSantis has made the war on liberalism a core theme of his governorship and a method to connect to the Republican base. He is anticipated to declare his candidacy for president in the coming months.
Although he has not officially declared his candidacy for the White House, Donald Trump, a previous Republican president, obviously sees DeSantis as a significant potential danger as the GOP primary season gets underway.
Trump has already launched political and personal attacks on DeSantis as the race for the Republican Party’s presidential nominee in 2024 heats up.
DeSantis made a subtle allusion to the volatility of Trump’s presidency and his loss to Joe Biden in 2020 while speaking at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library roughly 50 miles north of Los Angeles.
READ ALSO: Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales Censured Over Same-Sex Marriage, Guns, Border Issues
