California Governor Gavin Newsom is certainly not good at reading the room.
The Governor, known for his immaculate grooming, made a public statement on Tuesday, boasting about the number of Fortune 500 companies in California. His remarks, however, were met with widespread criticism.
Newsom's statement read, "For the first time in 10 years, CA is officially home to the most Fortune 500 companies. More than Texas. More than Florida. 57 incredible and booming companies, right here in the Golden State." The Governor's comments were met with a barrage of negative responses, with many pointing out the mass exodus of people from California.
The United Kingdom's Daily Mail reported that in 2022, California saw a net loss of 340,000 residents. Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Santa Clara counties each lost around 40,000 people. In contrast, Florida and Texas gained nearly 250,000 and 174,261 residents, respectively. Current trends suggest that California's population, which is 1.2 percent less than it was in 2019, will not reach pre-pandemic numbers until around 2032.
Twitter user Mericamemed responded to Newsom's tweet, stating, "Expect most of their employees are virtual or work in other states." Another user, MacAttack001, added, "Funny how many people have been voting with their feet and fleeing your state!"
The 2020 census saw California lose a seat in the House of Representatives, along with Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York. Texas, on the other hand, gained two seats, while Florida, North Carolina, Colorado, Montana, and Oregon each gained one. This shift in seats is not a perfect representation of people leaving blue states for red, but it does highlight a clear trend: under Newsom's leadership, California is facing significant challenges.
California currently has the highest homeless population in the nation, nearly double that of New York, which has the second-highest number of unhoused individuals. Despite spending over a billion dollars on the issue, the homeless population continues to grow. The state is also grappling with a budget deficit, having gone from a $98 billion surplus to a $30 billion deficit under Newsom's administration.
The middle class is reportedly leaving California for states like Texas and Florida, further straining the state's economy. Despite these issues, California leads the nation in several areas, including homelessness, fuel prices, and even potholes. The state's roads are reportedly in worse condition than those in Alaska, despite the latter's harsh winters.
In the midst of these challenges, Governor Newsom's decision to boast about the number of Fortune 500 companies in California has been met with widespread criticism. His seeming lack of awareness of the state's issues has led many to label him as "clueless," a term that seems to be increasingly associated with his leadership.
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