From Kathy Hochul to Gavin Newsom: Brutal study ranks the worst governors in the US

WASHINGTON, DC: A new Cato Institute study has ranked the worst-performing governors in the US on the basis of their record on personal and economic freedom, with California Governor Gavin Newsom in the bottom three. The "Freedom in the 50 States" report assesses state leaders on a range of issues, including taxes, government spending, business regulation, education choice, and individual liberty.

The rankings looked at both the degree to which states were free and whether their governors had taken actions to either expand or curtail that freedom.

Kathy Hochul ranks among the worst governors

New York Governor Kathy Hochul came out at the bottom of the Cato Institute’s list of governors. The study looked at governors in terms of their stance on personal and economic liberty (taxation, regulation, and individual rights).

Hochul received an overall freedom score of 0 out of 10 and an "F" as the overall freedom grade.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green came in second-worst in the Cato Institute report, with Newsom just behind.

However, in the overall ranking, Hawaii came in last, with an overall freedom score of 0.00, while New York ranked just above it with a score of 0.64.

Gavin Newsom ranks 48th overall

California Governor Gavin Newsom ranked 48th among all US governors. The state itself didn’t fare much better, coming in at 44th place for overall state freedom, according to the latest assessment. California earned an “F” and scored just 1.95 out of 10.

When it comes to economic freedom, California also ranked 48th. Personal freedom looked slightly better, but still low at 34th. The Cato Institute pointed to California’s high taxes, strict employment rules, licensing demands, and housing construction limits as big barriers to economic liberty.

Newsom’s decisions on new taxes haven’t gone unnoticed. He approved levies on healthcare and software, and anti-tax critics say these changes add up to the largest tax increase in California history.

Many also blame strict zoning and environmental regulations for making it harder to build new housing, pushing home prices even higher.

The Cato Institute has also cited California’s employment regulations, which include a statewide minimum wage of $17.40 starting next year, onerous licensing requirements, and lack of a “right to work” law as impediments to entrepreneurship.

Greg Gianforte and Jared Polis lead the rankings

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte topped the Cato Institute’s report, securing an “A” and putting Montana in the company of the nation’s freest states like Arizona, Nevada, Florida, and Idaho.

Colorado’s Jared Polis landed in second place. The report praised Polis for pushing to expand medical marijuana and healthcare options. He also stood up for First Amendment rights, vetoing laws that aimed to restrict social media use.

Plus, he took steps to limit how often law enforcement can use qualified immunity to defend against civil claims.

Florida’s Ron DeSantis and Texas’s Greg Abbott came in third and fourth, rounding out the top spots.