Ex-California resident casts doubt on Biden’s dreams to turn Florida blue as Democrat-led state exodus rages
Red states continue to see uptick in population
Ex-California resident: I’ll take freedom in Florida over ‘nuttiness’ in California any day
‘Leaving California’ Facebook group founder Terry Gilliam discusses the California exodus and why so many Americans are choosing to live in red states like Florida.
"Leaving California" Facebook group founder is casting doubt on President Biden’s ability to turn the "freedom" touting state of Florida blue as the Democrat-led state exodus continues.
"I mean, look at the last election. DeSantis won by a landslide," the Facebook group founder Terry Gilliam told "The Big Money Show," Tuesday, when asked about the president’s election aspirations.
"Most people in California right now are the ones who are unhappy with the way things are going. Most of them are conservative. So, you’re getting those people moving and making those states redder, not bluer," he explained while discussing the exodus.
Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez wrote in a memo earlier this week that "Florida is not an easy state to win, but it is a winnable one for President Biden, especially given Trump’s weak, cash-strapped campaign, and serious vulnerabilities within his coalition."
Trump won Florida in the 2020 presidential election against Biden, snatching approximately 51% of votes compared to the Democrat's 48% – widening the gap between Republican and Democratic support in the state.
"Leaving California" Facebook group founder discusses Biden's 2024 goals for the Sunshine State and why he fled California. (Fox News/ Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images/ Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images / Fox News)
But the Republican coalition isn’t the only growth Florida has seen.
In 2023, Texas and Florida dominated the migration trend seen throughout the country. Florida's population grew from 22,245,521 in 2022 to 22,610,726 in 2023.
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Gilliam, who was born and raised in Florida, lived in California for 35 years until he decided enough was enough and returned to his home state.
"[I] was not happy with the way the politics were going, the cost of living. And so, I started this first Facebook group in 2018…Life After California…and it exploded from there," Gilliam said.
He went on to add that there are "a lot of people that want to leave" the Golden State.
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California’s progressive policies, surging crime rates and cutthroat business regulations have been among the many reasons why people and even businesses have decided to leave.
"I’ll take the freedom that we get in Florida over the nuttiness that you get in California any day," Gilliam expressed.
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Fox News’ Timothy H.J. Nerozzi contributed to this report