A Tale Of Two Governors

California Gov. Gavin Newsom can’t help himself when it comes to bragging about the performance of the state while he’s been in charge. Often it means saying things that are wildly untrue.

Take his latest attempt at self-congratulation.

In a post on X, Newsom claimed, “Since 2019, California has grown about 40% in its economy — no other jurisdiction in the United States has come close. We have no peers.”

That might be accurate if what Newsom meant was that California has no peers when it comes to how badly the state’s economy has been performing since 2019.

Newsom’s 40% growth rate is in nominal terms. In real terms, the state’s GDP has gone up by 17.6%, which is less than the national average of 17.7%.

And the Pacific Research Institute points out in a recent study, California’s share of the national economy had been climbing steadily, peaking at 14.5% in 2020. But it’s been declining ever since Gavin Newsom took office. And now, California accounts for only 13.8% of the nation’s economy.

The state’s share of manufacturing output has also been on the downtrend since 2020, as has its share of the nation’s manufacturing and information jobs. And while Californians earn 20% more than the national average, they have 35% less disposable income thanks to the state’s ridiculously high cost of living, the Pacific Research Institute found.

Here’s another way to look at it. Compare California to Florida. Democrat Newsom and Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are both finishing up their second terms in office, and both are term-limited out next year.

So we can test the results of their different approaches to governance. One conservative, the other leftist. One focused on growth, the other on appeasing left-wing constituencies. One has kept taxes and regulations in check, the other has been raising both with abandon.

And the result of this eight-year test? Well, see for yourself in the charts below, which track what has happened since both men took office in 2019.

By every important measure, Florida is vastly outperforming California. Florida’s economy has grown faster, it’s created more jobs, seen its population increase, and avoided massive spending increases. It’s more affordable. It’s safer (the violent crime rate in Florida is nearly half of California’s).

And while Newsom might be blind to this, the people aren’t, which is why Californians are leaving for friendlier climes like Florida.

Which raises a question. Why do Californians keep voting for people like Newsom who have failed them so miserably? What will it take to wake them out of their slumbers?

— Written by the I&I Editorial Board

Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, NASBO, AAA, Tax Foundation, CNBC.