(The Center Square) – Responding to accusations made by California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a campaign ad criticizing him, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Newsom treated Californians “like peasants” during nearly two years of COVID-19 lockdowns.
DeSantis made the remarks Friday at an event in Cape Coral, Florida, announcing the state’s plan to reduce prescription drug costs for Floridians.
A reporter asked DeSantis what he thought about Newsom claiming Florida wasn’t free. The Florida governor guffawed and the audience laughed.
“Well, look, everyone wants to talk about me and Florida. I’m just sitting here little ‘ol me doing my job,” he said smiling.
Both DeSantis and Newsom are running for reelection for governor in their respective states. But instead of targeting his Republican opponent in California, Newsom’s first reelection campaign ad targeted DeSantis and Florida’s former governor and junior U.S. Sen. Rick Scott.
Newsom, after making several accusations about Florida not being free, invited Floridians to move to “the free state of California.”
DeSantis said, “I was born and raised in this state. And until the last few years, I rarely if ever saw a California license plate in the state of Florida. You now see a lot of ‘em. I can tell you if you go to California, you ain’t seeing very many Florida license plates.
“As he was locking down his citizens,” DeSantis said of Newsom, “he would then go and have these extravagant dinners at the French Laundry to basically rub his citizens’ noses in the fact that he was treating them like peasants.
“In Florida, we weren’t locking them down, we were lifting our people up.”
Newsom’s campaign didn’t return requests for comment.
“Gov. Gavin Newsom is clearly positioning himself for the 2024 presidential election, not his 2022 reelection campaign in California,” Chuck DeVore, a former state legislator in California, who’s now the Chief National Initiatives Officer at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, told The Center Square. “This is why he’s going after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, though his attack is laughable. According to Census data, California has lost a net of around 100,000 residents to other states, with the largest share moving to Texas – Florida too.”
Devore has written extensively about why he and others left California and has opined on the movement, “Don’t California My Texas,” referring to those who don’t want California policies transforming Texas. A similar sentiment is being expressed in Florida.
“Texans are understandably concerned, but other than a segment of high-tech employees, polls suggest the majority of Californians moving to Texas are conservative,” DeVore said. “‘Don’t California my Texas’ is really more of a warning to state and local elected officials not to copy California’s high-tax, heavy regulatory burden policies.”
Florida continues to rival Texas as a top destination for businesses and residents exiting higher-tax states. Many exiting California cite high taxes and expansive restrictions as their reasons for leaving.
California lost more residents to migration in recorded U.S. history during Newsom’s first term. California also lost a congressional seat. By contrast, Florida gained a congressional seat and surpassed New York to become the third-most populous state.
DeSantis has touted Florida as the freest state in the U.S., signing a state budget with record tax breaks and fighting against the Biden administration over vaccine mandates, illegal immigration and other policies.
Florida also just recorded its highest surplus in state history of $21.8 billion.
Kinda like Joe Biden treats American citizens.
He certainly treats Illegal invaders, BETTER than he does american citizens.
Those whom the Gods would destroy they first drive mad. Those whom the gods HAVE driven mad and destroyed then complete the job by sliming and attacking those whom God has blessed in success. That’s all they have left. DeSantis takes his governors job seriously. To Newsom, the word gubernatorial has something to do with picking his goobers and wiping the slimiest on other’s clean Sunday cloths. A fitting image and replacement of the last one the Democrats put up and ran for President, and now run FROM, like a Gingerbread man fresh cooked right out of a Democrat easy bake oven.
The Democrat Crime Organization has always treated the working people of America as their peasants. We have been the cash cow to milk of our living wages to be taken from us through a punitive tax system for their personal use. They launder our extorted tax dollars through scam programs they devise to fail into their own pockets, those of family members and associates. They use it to buy votes from their constituents. That would be losers, thugs, professional victims, race hustlers and leeches on the public dole.
This is WHY I left Calicesspool when I did. I enjoy living in Montana where the Air is Clean of SCUMBAG’S Like Gavin Newsom , Nasty Nancy Wicked Witch of the West Coast.
Howdy neighbor. Wyoming native here. We have people pouring in here from both coasts escaping while they still can.
Problem is not all are Conservatives some are flaming Libs who run for elected office and sometimes win, especially in local elections.
I will say it’s almost certain Liz is out the door, if every Dem in the state voted for her there still would not be enough votes for her to win. We have very little if any voter fraud here, thats one good thing. The thought of a tall horse and a short rope keeps them in check here but one does slip by on occasion.
YOU couldn’t pay me enough to even Visit, let alone live in commiefornia!
No I think California treat white people like Peasants. Criminals and illegals they love.
Of course Gavin the Godless treats Californians like peasants. It’s what Communist do best.
Unless you’re an illegal alien, or criminal..
A peasant has a better life than a resident of California. But Californians voted for the corrupt nazi dictators running their state. The smart ones are the ones who moved away and vote republican.
Pretty boy Newsom is at it again! The do-nothing California governor is basically running a fascist state and has enough nerve to attack our great Governor DeSantis, calling Florida not a free state. Newsom is one of the most ineffective governors in the nation and yet he thinks he can become president in 2024?!?! What in the world would we do if our country was run like California?? We would have slums in every major city in the country, with people sleeping in the streets and freely using drugs on every corner. The police would be extremely ineffective because the corrupt Soros judges and DA’s would be turning thugs back out on the streets as fast as they were arrested.
Make no mistake about this – Soros will put his money behind Newsom in order to buy him into the presidency if we are not very watchful as we get nearer to 2024. So be prepared to see Soros and his minions going all out war on whoever our Republican candidate might be!
WAKE UP AMERICA AND STOP SOROS IN HIS TRACKS BY BEING SURE YOU DO NOT VOTE FOR ANY CANDIDATE THAT HAS THE BACKING OF THE EVIL SOROS!!!