Things got heated on Fox News’ “Hannity” this week as California Governor Gavin Newsom countered host Sean Hannity’s assertions that the Golden State is still experiencing a population exodus by telling him, “You’re on a doom loop about California.”
The U.S. Census Bureau previously reported that California’s total population declined by more than 500,000 between April 2020 and July 2022. In the interview, Newsom — citing “three new independent studies” including one from UCLA — said that the migration has slowed significantly.
“You look at a UCLA study? Seriously,” laughed Hannity. “Why don’t we make it UC Berkeley?” he added, referring to the more progressive UCLA campus in northern California.
“Look at the facts. We’re the fourth-largest economy in the world. This belies all of that rhetoric, everything you just said,” insisted Newsom. “You didn’t talk about all those red states that have opposite policies that you embrace. Something is clearly not working right in those states… Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia that all had higher population loss.”
Hannity pushed back on California having the highest tax rate in the country on the 1%, to which Newsom replied the tax rate has been there for a decade.
“We didn’t just establish a 13.3% for the 1%, it’s been there 10 years. There’s been no new tax increases,” he said.
“It’s the highest in the country, Gavin,” Hannity countered.
“It’s the highest for the 1%,” Newsom responded. “In the last decade since we established that tax rate, California’s GDP has been 3.1%, the nation 2.1%. How do you square that circle?” He then added, “I’m not ashamed by a progressive tax rate that actually protects the middle class.”
When Hannity tried to dismiss the statistics by saying, “I hear all the talking points,” Newsom interjected, “These are not talking points, they’re facts.”
Hannity countered, “I hear every point you’re making, but it does not negate this fact. You are the only governor in this state that has had net erosion, a significant loss …”
Newsom rolled his eyes and responded that they were only talking about “.3% [population loss] during COVID. My gosh.”
Hannity mentioned “quality of life” issues such as homelessness and high taxation as reasons why people might be leaving the state, and that Newsom might get a better result “if more conservative principles were applied.”
Watch the contentious exchange in the video above.
