Florida Gov Ron DeSantis blames GOP losses on exodus of Republicans from blue to red states

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA: It wasn’t exactly a banner night for the GOP across America, but Florida Gov Ron DeSantis had a theory about why Republicans keep taking a beating up north.

On Tuesday’s episode of 'Hannity,' the Florida governor said the political landscape up north is changing, and not in the GOP’s favor, because Republicans are ditching blue states and heading for redder pastures.

Ron DeSantis blames GOP losses on Republican exodus from blue states

“If you look at all 49 other states since I’ve been governor, look at who’s migrated to Florida, more Republicans have moved to Florida than Democrats. Vermont, New York, Illinois, you name it,” DeSantis told host Sean Hannity. “And the result of that is not just migration, ’cause we’ve had a lot of people shift within Florida. But when I got elected, we had 300,000 more registered Democrats in Florida. Today, we have 1.4 million more Republicans.”

DeSantis said that exodus is reshaping Florida’s voter rolls and leaving states like New York and New Jersey with electorates that are bluer than ever.

The governor pointed to New Jersey as Exhibit A. He argued that the state’s GOP gubernatorial candidate, Jack Ciattarelli, could’ve easily won if all those Jersey Republicans hadn’t decamped to Florida.

“Jack Ciattarelli would have won four years ago, and he would have won tonight if you just take all the Republicans who’ve left New Jersey since I’ve been governor and moved to Florida,” DeSantis said. “If they could have still voted in New Jersey, he would have won both of those races.”

DeSantis didn’t sugarcoat his take on New York. “Maybe not a Republican” could win there anymore, he admitted, not even a law-and-order legend like Rudy Giuliani. “Giuliani would not be able to win with this electorate the way it is now.” He said the problem is that “center-right voters… leave,” which means “the resulting electorate is actually more liberal.”

Ron DeSantis mocks NY voters after Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral win

DeSantis knows there’s some grumbling among the Sunshine State faithful about the flood of newcomers, especially those bringing their blue-state voting habits with them.

“We’re not asking for anyone to move,” he said with a laugh. “I mean, people have talked about putting a tariff on people moving in at this point, because so many have done so, and I know a lot of people in Florida would think that that would be necessary.”

That was a nod to fellow red-state Governor Greg Abbott’s running joke about taxing New Yorkers who flee to Texas.

Moments before Fox News called New York City’s mayoral race for Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, DeSantis mocked New Yorkers.

“It’s an incredible act of ballistic podiatry, shooting yourself in the foot by New York City voters,” DeSantis quipped. “This is a guy who does embrace Marxist economics.”

The Florida governor accused Mamdani of never showing sympathy for the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks and of not supporting law enforcement.   

Democrats sweep key races in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City

Across the country, the news didn’t get much better for the GOP. Democrats chalked up win after win, including in Virginia, where former Rep Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican Lt Gov Winsome Earle-Sears.

Even with the attorney general’s race clouded by a texting scandal involving Jay Jones, Democrats captured that one too, while also making double-digit gains in the Virginia Legislature for good measure.

Up in New Jersey, Democrats held the line as Mikie Sherrill beat GOP challenger Jack Ciattarelli in what had been one of the Republicans’ best chances for a surprise win. Out west, Democrats secured favorable redistricting maps in California.

But the ultimate gut punch for conservatives came as proud socialist and far-left favorite Zohran Mamdani claimed victory in New York City, snatching the mayor’s office from former Gov Andrew Cuomo.   

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.